The Mozambican Under-16 girls side will represent the region at the African Youth Championships to be held in Senegal, whose dates the Federation of International Basketball Association is yet to announce. (Pictured: The regional powerhouse was unbeaten in all their four matches against the hosts, Angola, South Africa and Swaziland. Boasting a team of tall and fast movers Mozambique thrashed all that came their way to emerge winners of the ticket to Dakar.
The Zimbabwe schoolgirls fall to Angola, Mozambique and neighbors South Africa, to record victories against regional lightweights, Swaziland.
Head coach Sikhumbuzo Ndlovu believes his charges have the potential to prove themselves in future especially if they continue playing more competitive matches together. We just need to play more games at home and make sure the sport is continually developed at grassroots level for us to dominate at international level. Otherwise the girls have a lot of talent, he said.
In the boys showdown, giants Angola qualified for the continental showpiece that will be hosted by Mozambique, this year. Zimbabwe lost experienced powerhouse Angola, coach, Ladi Munetsi, strongly believe with years of sponsorship anticipated with the stabilization of the economy, Zimbabwe basketball will be ranked among the heavyweights in Africa and beyond.
We lost to Angola by just five baskets, so to me it is good because these boys have never played an international match, it is a good start, said Munetsi.
When we started they were a bit jittery but they started playing well with each match. There is hope for basketball in the country if things will stabilize and we continue to have people coming in with sponsorship. His side fell to Angola and South Africa and demolished Swaziland, in their last match on Thursday.