Zim to host Afro-basket qualifiers

Sport
BULAWAYO Metropolitan Province will host the Afro-basketball and All-Africa Games qualifiers set to feature four Southern African region countries at Zimbabwe International Trade Fair next month.

BULAWAYO Metropolitan Province will host the Afro-basketball and All-Africa Games qualifiers set to feature four Southern African region countries at Zimbabwe International Trade Fair next month.

SUKOLUHLE MTHETHWA SPORTS REPORTER

Zimbabwe will compete against Botswana, South Africa, Zambia and Angola as seeking a slot for the Afro-basketball Championships to be co-hosted by Tunisia and Cameroon while the All-Africa Games will be held in Congo-Brazzaville next year.

Basketball Union of Zimbabwe technical and development president Sikhumbuzo Ndlovu yesterday confirmed the competition to Southern Eye Sport. “We will be hosting the Afro-basketball qualifiers and All-Africa Games qualifiers in Bulawayo from November 20 to 27,” he said.

The games will actually be a rehearsal for the Region V Games..” Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa will battle for supremacy in the women’s section an addition to Mozambique and Angola. The men’s teams include Zambia, South Africa, Mozambique while Angola will only compete in the All-Africa Games qualifiers. Ndlovu said they had already started the selection process.

“We are in the process of selecting the team. We will have a fitness selection in Harare and another in Bulawayo on Thursday,” he said.

“Fifteen players each in the men and women’s categories will go into camp before the teams are trimmed to 12 players each.”

Ndlovu added that coaches will also consider players who are plying their trade outside the country while saying they were still gathering resources to host the games and were appealing to the corporate world to assist.