Basketball in Africa

By Dann O’were

National women basketball champions Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) have unveiled a massive recruitment drive for next year.

Team coach Anthony Ojukwu told SportFest that he has identified seven new players that will give him a head start since he plans to defend the national crown besides shaping up the side for continental campaign.

"I am currently shopping for new players. I want to blend the young and the experienced as I am doing a transition " said Ojukwu.

Ojukwu, who is also the national team coach, said he was happy with the achievements this year and will start preparing the girls early enough next year if the team is to do well in both fronts.

"Only getting started early will help the new players get into the system. I want to build a team that will be unbeatable in the region," he added.

KPA beat United States International University (USIU) 2-0 in the best of three series play offs finals to win their fifth title in eight years. Hehas reportedly added international Joyce Makungu to the team.

They also won the East and Central Africa Zone Five title in Kigali, Rwanda, an achievement that gave them a ticket to the continental club show in Maputo, Mozambique.

Elsewhere, Burundi will host next year,s Zone Five club championships, a top regional official has announced.

Vitalis Gode, the Zone Five secretary general, also disclosed that the show in Bujumbura, that will include all the top clubs in the region, must be held by August.

National men and women champions KCB Lions and KPA will lead Co-operative Bank of Kenya and USIU in the event.

While KCB, Co-op and KPA have played at the regional podium before, it will be the first outing for the students in the show that will include clubs from Rwanda, Ethiopia, Ugand, Tanzania and Burundi.

Uganda has been given the mandate to organise the Junior Basketball Championships by April, with Rwanda and Ethiopia On standby.