Chronicle Editor
Innocent Kurira, [email protected]
ZIMBABWE will host the Basketball Africa League (BAL) 2025 qualifiers starting on Tuesday at Harare City Sports Centre.
This marks a historic moment for Zimbabwean basketball fans as BAL comes to the country for the first time since its inception in 2020.
Basket Hounds, winners of the Basketball Union of Zimbabwe National League, earned the right to represent Zimbabwe.
They become only the third Zimbabwean team to participate in the BAL qualifiers, following Mercenaries and Harare Powerhouses JBC.
JBC reached the “Elite 16” stage last year.
Six countries will participate in the Harare qualifier: Basket Hounds (Zimbabwe), Fox Basketball Club (South Sudan), Matero Magic (Zambia), Bravehearts (Malawi), Desportos Costa Do Sol (Mozambique) and Botswana Defence Forces (Botswana).
Only two teams will progress to the next round in South Africa in November.
BAL, launched in 2020, is a partnership between the NBA and Fiba, promoting and developing basketball in Africa.
According to Fiba rules, champions from Angola, Egypt, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal and Tunisia qualify automatically. Other nations must go through a rigorous qualifying process.
derick.khumalo