This came after an impressive show by the Under-18 national basketball girls’ team at the qualifiers of the Zone Six Africa Nations Championships, held in Harare. Zimbabwe schoolgirls beat the regional powerhouse, Angola – ranked second after Mozambique. The Angolan schoolboys are the defending African Nations Champions and their senior women side beat Zimbabwe at the regional showdown the country hosted, early last year.
Zimbabwe’s victory over such heavyweights will go into history books with Chiware aiming for top spots in the region through junior development.
“If the Junior women teams continue to get support there will be continuous improvement such that within 5 years we can be among the top 2 in the zone and top 5 in Africa. BUZ has committed itself to ensuring that the U/18s will always participate in the continental and invitational tournaments, to ensure that the players are exposed to quality competition,” Chiware said.
“The Union will track these players and ensure that their needs are catered for in the BUZ development plan. This will see us soon launch excellence centers in the near future where these players come in and are coached by experienced coaches, in the different basic areas targeted for development,” said Chiware.
Meanwhile, JBC and Varsity Leopards will represent the country at the Zone Six women clubs championships scheduled for Maputo, Mozambique, from July 5-12.
Their fellow countrymen, JBC and Raiderz, will participate at the men’s edition of the regional clubs showdown in Lusaka, Zambia, later in September.
Post published in: Zimbabwe Sports News