Women’s basketball squad in camp for Machel Cup

Kusile Madlela Sports reporter
THE senior national women’s basketball squad is in camp preparing for the Samora Machel Cup, involving four nations, as part of Mozambique’s 40th independence celebrations.

Mozambique celebrates its independence on June 25.

The squad is presently training at the Bulawayo Municipality Sports Club in Famona and Basketball Union of Zimbabwe (BUZ) secretary-general Joe Mujuru said they would be using the invitation to build a squad for upcoming international tournaments.

“The squad is training for the Samora Machel Cup. We will be facing formidable opponents that include South Africa, Kenya and the host nation. This invitation comes as an opportunity to start building a team for upcoming competitions like the Afro Basketball Championships. We are looking forward to posting some good results in the (Mozambique) independence sports gala,” said Mujuru.

He said the squad would be holding morning and evening sessions for the tournament that runs from June 25-28.

“The morning sessions are from 9AM to 12PM and the afternoon sessions run from 4PM to 6PM. The team will also be going for fitness training at the gym and road runs until we leave for Mozambique on June 23,” he said.

Mujuru said the squad comprises local and foreign-based players, with five of the players drawn from the Under-20 squad that played at the Region 5 Youth Games in Bulawayo last December.

A delegation of 18 consisting of 12 players and six officials will travel to Mozambique for the tournament whose entire expenses would be covered by the host nation.

Provisional Squad: Sharon Chamwarira (Southern Mavericks), Jacqueline Phenduka (Lakers), Steffi Wishcourt, Sithabile Ngadini (Greenstones), Judy Nyamakawa (FML Bullets), Francisca Sekete (Raiders), Natal Pike (Soweto Raptors), Dorcas Marondera (Vaal University of Technology), Charity Chigumba (University of Johannesburg)