TWENTY schools from around the country meet at Girls’ College, Bulawayo on Saturday in a basketball tournament aimed at creating awareness on breast cancer.
SUKOLUHLE MTHETHWA SPORTS REPORTER
A thrilling affair is expected as the organisers are searching for a girl who would be granted a scholarship to the United States.
Tournament organiser and founder of I Believe Sports Academy, Allen Mavunga, yesterday told Southern Eye Sport that they were ready for this year’s competition.
“We are having a breast cancer awareness campaign at Girls’ College on Saturday. Twenty schools are coming to participate. The main reason why we are having it is to raise awareness among youths about breast cancer. We want to create awareness because I played basketball in Zimbabwe until I got a scholarship in the United States where I stayed from 2005 to 2012,” he said.
Mavunga explained the reasons behind the academy.
“I Believe Sports Academy was founded in 2011. It is a non-profit Christian organisation that seeks to impart and change lives through basketball. The first edition of the basketball tournament held at Girls’ College was won by Girls’ High School last year,” he said.
“During the tournament we will be searching for a girl aged between 13 and 16 who will get a scholarship to Texas (US).”
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The defending champions will compete against Girls’ High, Conway, Mufakose Two, Kuwadzana One and Zengeza Two while Chinhoyi High, Loreto High and Midlands Christian College will also feature.
Bulawayo will be represented by schools which include Petra, Usher, Eveline, Townsend, Hamilton and Montrose.
Winners of the competition will receive shields and medals while the losing finalists will walk away with silver medals sponsored by United States Impact Ministries and Smile for Africa.
The most valuable player will receive a mobile phone courtesy of Astro Mobile.
Mavunga said Schweppes and Holiday Inn would support them as they host the second edition of the tournament.
Girls’ High beat Nkulumane High 22-12 to claim the inaugural tournament last year which was graced by seven schools.
Girls’ College, Girls’ High, Eveline, Ihlathi, Nkulumane, Usher and Founders participated in the tournament.
Nkulumane made their way to the final after humiliating Usher 42-12 while Girls’ High dismissed Ihlathi 28-8.
Girls’ High got a Breast Cancer Awareness trophy courtesy of Blue Bay Roller Meal with Nkulumane getting a runners-up trophy. Nyasha Katsande, was voted the most valuable player, walked away with basketball sneakers, while all participants grabbed a Blue Bay 5kg mealie-meal bag and T-shirts.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness month.
