24 May 2006
ZIMBABWE : Schools basketball league starts
THE Matabeleland South schools basketball league started at the weekend with PG Timber reaffirming their sponsorship for the girl child.
Sikhumbuzo Ndlovu, a spokesperson for the league, said schools started playing at the weekend although PG had not yet released the total package.
"We started playing games on Saturday and PG Timber will be sponsoring the girls. They have not yet released the amounts to us as yet. On Saturday games were played at Mzingwane Boys High and this weekend there are no games," he said.
Ndlovu said the boys had no sponsor but their games would still go on as they were to play in the finals on the same day as the girls.
Ndlovu said the finals of the league would be played in Bulawayo on 8 July. Last year Empandeni Under16 and Under20 won the competition while in the Under14 category Minda from Maphisa were the victors.
Minda took the championship from Empandeni for the first time since its inauguration in 2000. He said the Under14s would start their competition on 10 June to cut down on transport costs."It will be difficult for the schools to transport all teams for the competition if they all started at the same time. The Under14s can also play their finals on any other day. They do not have to play them on 8 July with the other categories," said Ndlovu.
Ndlovu said this year competition promises to be tight as both teams Minda and Empandeni in the Under16 category won their first two matches.
Minda are at the top of the log by virtue of getting more baskets than Empandeni. Other schools in that category include Usher, Mtshabezi, Matopo and Thekwane.
Minda won their first match against Thekwane 280 and went on to beat Usher 2715. Empandeni beat Mtshabezi 268 and Thekwane 232.
Results
Under16 Girls
Empandeni 26, Mtshabezi 8; Minda 28, Thekwane 0; Usher 25, Matopo 13; Empandeni 23, Thekwane 2; Minda 27, Usher 15; Mtshabezi 12, Matopo 10.
Under16 Boys
Mzingwane 30, JZ Moyo 9; Wanezi 2, Plumtree 33; Plumtree 25, Cyrene 10; Mtshabezi 12, Mzingwane 9; Matopo 22, JZ Moyo 4; Thekwane 24, Wanezi 8; Cyrene 7, Mtshabezi 8; Thekwane 8, Matopo 16.
Under20 Girls
Empandeni 48, Matopo 5; Wanezi 0, Mtshabezi 13; Empandeni 18, Minda 7; Usher 20, Minda 18; Thekwane 28, JZ Moyo 13; Usher 12, Matopo 9; Thekwane 25, Dombodema 10; Wanezi 4, JZ Moyo 42.
Under20 Boys
Mzingwane 27, Plumtree 22; Dombodema 19, JZ Moyo20; Matopo 28, Cyrene 14; Thekwane 28, Mtshabezi 18; Mzingwane 31, JZ 8; Thekwane 22, Dombodema 10; Wanezi 15 Gwanda 8; Matopo 50, Gwanda 4; Wanezi 18, Cyrene 11; Plumtree 33, Mtshabezi 14.
Sikhumbuzo Ndlovu, a spokesperson for the league, said schools started playing at the weekend although PG had not yet released the total package.
"We started playing games on Saturday and PG Timber will be sponsoring the girls. They have not yet released the amounts to us as yet. On Saturday games were played at Mzingwane Boys High and this weekend there are no games," he said.
Ndlovu said the boys had no sponsor but their games would still go on as they were to play in the finals on the same day as the girls.
Ndlovu said the finals of the league would be played in Bulawayo on 8 July. Last year Empandeni Under16 and Under20 won the competition while in the Under14 category Minda from Maphisa were the victors.
Minda took the championship from Empandeni for the first time since its inauguration in 2000. He said the Under14s would start their competition on 10 June to cut down on transport costs."It will be difficult for the schools to transport all teams for the competition if they all started at the same time. The Under14s can also play their finals on any other day. They do not have to play them on 8 July with the other categories," said Ndlovu.
Ndlovu said this year competition promises to be tight as both teams Minda and Empandeni in the Under16 category won their first two matches.
Minda are at the top of the log by virtue of getting more baskets than Empandeni. Other schools in that category include Usher, Mtshabezi, Matopo and Thekwane.
Minda won their first match against Thekwane 280 and went on to beat Usher 2715. Empandeni beat Mtshabezi 268 and Thekwane 232.
Results
Under16 Girls
Empandeni 26, Mtshabezi 8; Minda 28, Thekwane 0; Usher 25, Matopo 13; Empandeni 23, Thekwane 2; Minda 27, Usher 15; Mtshabezi 12, Matopo 10.
Under16 Boys
Mzingwane 30, JZ Moyo 9; Wanezi 2, Plumtree 33; Plumtree 25, Cyrene 10; Mtshabezi 12, Mzingwane 9; Matopo 22, JZ Moyo 4; Thekwane 24, Wanezi 8; Cyrene 7, Mtshabezi 8; Thekwane 8, Matopo 16.
Under20 Girls
Empandeni 48, Matopo 5; Wanezi 0, Mtshabezi 13; Empandeni 18, Minda 7; Usher 20, Minda 18; Thekwane 28, JZ Moyo 13; Usher 12, Matopo 9; Thekwane 25, Dombodema 10; Wanezi 4, JZ Moyo 42.
Under20 Boys
Mzingwane 27, Plumtree 22; Dombodema 19, JZ Moyo20; Matopo 28, Cyrene 14; Thekwane 28, Mtshabezi 18; Mzingwane 31, JZ 8; Thekwane 22, Dombodema 10; Wanezi 15 Gwanda 8; Matopo 50, Gwanda 4; Wanezi 18, Cyrene 11; Plumtree 33, Mtshabezi 14.
# posted by afrbk : 15:37
