Basketball in Africa

MTN basketball league giants will be out to test their new signings and the strength of their sides when the Makerere Open Basketball tournament gets under way this weekend.

The tournament will be used as a rehearsal for the 2006 MTN league season that tips off on March 31.

This 37th edition has already attracted most of the local giants including women and men league defending champions A-I Challenge and Nkumba University Marines.

University Assistant Sports Tutor Ms. Jalia Nassali told Daily Monitor that the teams have forwarded their confirmation.

"All the local giant teams have confirmed their participation except Falcons. More are expected to confirm before the tournament starts on Saturday," Nassolo said.

In the men's seniors, Kampala International University (KIU), Sadolin Power, Charging Rhino, Warriors, Uganda Christian University (UCU) Mukono and League champions Nkumba University Marines are set to tussle it out. Kololo Bush Courts, Crane High School and KCC Lions are the other contenders for the men's title.Women rivals Lady Bucks, Kampala City Council (KCC) Leopards, league queens A-I Challenge and hosts Makerere Sparks will face off.

They however face stiff challenges from Crane High, Amazon, UCU Ladies, Makerere University Business School (MUBS) and Makerere Cubs. Power and KCC Leopards are the defending champions for the seniors, while Crane High School and Rev. John Foundation-Kitintale are the defending champions for the Schools' and U-13 categories respectively.

Meanwhile, Crane High School-Kitintale will host the National Schools Basketball finals for Kampala region next weekend April 1-2.