Basketball in Africa

Defending champion of the Ilupeju Classics, Royal Hoopers basketball club of Port Harcourt Tuesday maintain its hundred percent record when it posted a 51-38 points victory over University of Lagos to remain top of group-B in one of the five matches decided Tuesday at the Ilupeju Sports & Leisure Centre, Lagos.

In another match decided in group-B, Bayelsa Waves defeated hapless Flying Horse by 60-19 points before falling to Coach Emmanuel Okolo tutored University of Lagos team later in the day by a narrow 46-43 points.

Whales continues its beautiful run with a 38-27 points win over Sea Rovers to stay top of group-C while Raptors recorded its first victory with a 39-28 points victory over Panthers enough to secure a quarter-final ticket for the Coach Charles Ibeziako side.

Four matches are on the bill Wednesday as preliminaries games would be wound-up.

In group-A, Warriors Academy will battle Panthers at 10.00 hours, University of Lagos will take to the floor at 11.30 hours against Flying Horse in a group-B pairing, D.D Magic will engage Sea Rovers in the race for a quarter-final ticket in group-C while Bayelsa Waves and Royal Hoopers will entertain the fans in the top-of-the-bill group-B game at 16.00 hours.

Defending champion of the quarterly Ilupeju Classics, Royal Hoopers basketball club of Port Harcourt, Rivers State got off to a winning ways Tuesday at the opening day of the 6th edition of the Classics put together by Warriors Basketball Academy.

The Port Harcourt based side walloped Flying Horse by 41-12 points to stay top of group-B, host and 5th edition runner-up Warriors Academy also recorded a win in group-A with a narrow 36-33 points victory over Raptors basketball club in a thrilling encounter.

Group-C seeded team, D.D.Magic got a rude shock in the hands of Charles Osho coached Whales with a 45-32 points lose.

Five matches are billed for day-2 of the 5-day classics which is the first championship in Nigeria this year with Sea Rovers battling it out against Whales in group-C, Flying Horse will take on Bayelsa Waves in a group-B duel, Royal Hoopers will ballet University of Lagos in another group-B pairing, Panthers and Raptors will entertain the crowd in a group-A game while Bayelsa Waves and University of Lagos will do battle in another group-B game that promise all the trapping of a top basketball match as both side parade a crop of tested players who can hold their own against any opposition.

from africabasket.com

The biggest score for this season in the on going Liberia Basketball Federation national league occured last week end at the Sports Commission on BroadStreet in the capital Monrovia when Uhuru Kings massacred Monrovia Rockers 132-48 points on Sunday to the disbelief of the hundreds spectators that turned out to watch the match. Before that match, defending Champion NPA Pyhtons whipped T-Chons 96-48 points in the first division. On last Saturday, Mighty Barrolle crushed Flames 82-70 points in the first division and in the second divisin Wild cats outclass Sacbase 70-63 points. In the female division on last Friday, SOS Trotters fell to Survivors 15-52 points.

The Santiago South Basketball Championships finally started this weekend. With all the problems facing the Regional Association in organizing this year's championship,
they still managed to get it going. The championship will include 7 different age level, Cadets, Junior, and Senior, both men and women.

The teams that entered the 2008 season are:

U14 (M) - Órgaos, Amor de Deus, Predio, and ABC.
U16 (M) - Bairro, Amor de Deus, Órgaos, ABC, and EBS.
U18 (M) - ABC, Achada Grande, Bairro, and EBS.
U20 (M) - Seven, ABC, EBS, and Bairro.
Senior (M) - Seven, ABC, Achada Grande, and Predio.
U14 (W) - Órgaos, ABC, Amor de Deus.
Senior (W) - Seven, Bairro, ABC, Órgaos.

The cadets and juniors began play last weekend at the Vava Duarte Pavillion.
In the first round of plays, (U14) - Amor de Deus beat Órgaos, 31-29; ABC beat Predio, 23-6.
(U18) - Achada Grande lost to ABC, 30-56, and Bairro beat EBS, 38-36.

Sylvia "Sly" Njeri, Kenya's only lady tactician is all set for the task ahead and awaits the start of the Premier League with glee.

The Strathmore University coach believes that her young and enthusiastic team has what it takes to battle against the country's top giants when the season gets underway in a few months time.

Njeri, who guided the blades to the top league after beating Predators 2-1 in the Nairobi Basketball Association (NBA) provincial play off finals last year, believes her girls can deliver.

She said in an interview that the return of forward Faith Owich from a career threatening injury will make her team even stronger. Owich who missed out the entire season is now fully recovered and all rearing to go.

"The fact that she is now finally recovered is welcome news. She will play a key role in Strathmore University's battle for honours in the league." said Njeri, whose team will making their debut in the top tier league.

Njeri said that besides retaining all her players who did duty for the institution last year, including national team center Beryl Amayo, the students can only get better and better.
"So far I have already got two new players who are training with me right now and since I have lost non, I can only look forward to a brighter 2008." said Njeri fondly refered to as Sly.

On the challenge of being the only lady tactician in the league, she observes." I am all set for the assignment, with the players I have and the support I have got, I believe things will work out well in my first year."

Apart from Njeri, only two coaches have talked about their plans for the year. They are Francis Ngunjiri of national men champions KCB Lions and Anthony Ojukwu who coaches national women champions Kenya Ports Authority (KPA).

by Dann OWERE
fiba.com

Agina Wesonga will not seek re-election as Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) President, he said over the weekend.

The KBF boss reitereated his earlier stand not to seek re-election during the Nairobi Basketball Association (NBA) branch polls at the Railways Club over weekend.

"I will not seek re-election as your chairman when the polls are called." he told the delegates. Vice chairman Henry Shihemi and Paul Otula have declared their intentions to succeed Agina.

Only Nairobi and Coast held their elections. Other branches like Central, Eastern, Western, Rift Valley and Nyanza will hold their in due course after which the national polls will be called.

Ronny Owino was re-elected unopposed as the NBA chairman for another four year term.

Seven other officials also went in unopposed during the elections conducted by veteran sports administrator Joseph Masyuko and and KBF chairman Agina Wesonga.

In the only contested positions, Sylvia Njeri trounced Rogers Mutahi 48-2 to take the assistant scretary while Caleb Osewe became the new assistant fixtures secretary after beating Juma Kent 39-12.

A total of 55 delegates representing 29 teams took part in the peaceful excercise that saw veteran coach Gitau Waringo stun the delegates when he stepped down for Dorothy Ouko for the position of 1st Vice chairman.

Wesonga commended NBA in the manner they have run the affairs of the association in the last fours years saying they have been very active and asked other branches to emulate them.

NBA new office bearers are:

Chairman: Ronny Owino
1st Vice Chairman: Dorothy Ouko
2nd Vice Chairman: Wycliffe Obingo

Secretary: Peter Orero
Asst Secretary: Sylvia Njeri
Treasurer: Dann O'Werre

Asst Treasuer: Josephine Nabwire
Fixrtures Secretary: Joseph Amoko
Asst F/S: Caleb Osewe.

by Dann OWERE
fiba.com

The National Basketball League (NBL) starts on March 25 in Tanga, the Tanzania Basketball Federation (TBF) secretary general, Lawrence Cheyo has announced.
Regional club champion teams are expected to compete in the week-long championship.
Cheyo named six clubs that have gained an automatic qualification to compete in the championship after excelling during last year's edition held in Dodoma.
The clubs are JKT, Savio,Oilers, Dodoma Spurs, Bees and Mzinga.
Title holders for men are Savio while JKT Stars will defend their title for women.

Basketball enthusiasts are in for a treat this year, as Bulawayo hosts the inter-provincial championships for the first time in eight years.

The tournament kicks off on 28 February at the Bulawayo Club for the Disabled. Bulawayo Province are the defending champions.
Daniel Mombeshora, the Bulawayo Basketball Association vice-chairman (technical department), told Standardsport last week preparations were already in full swing, although they were still battling to secure sponsorship.
"It is good that the tournament is being held in Bulawayo as we last hosted the event eight years ago," Mombeshora said. "Our teams are already preparing for the tournament and the main aim is to retain the title."
Last year the tournament, held in Harare, was sponsored by a South Africa-based company, Mag Petroleum, which is yet to commit itself to this year's event.
A fundraising event has been scheduled for 3 February, where BBA vice-chairman in charge of promotions, Joe Mujuru, would be the host.
Mujuru said at least $12 billion would be needed to host the tournament, adding potential sponsors had made enquiries.
"The problem we have at the moment is that one of the potential sponsors wants to be the only sponsor for the tournament," he said. "But we are still negotiating as we are aiming to have more than one sponsor."

by Sande Bashaija
Kampala

FORMER National Basketball League champions Charging Rhino have declared their intentions to sign two-time Most Valuable Player (MVP) Norman Blick when the transfer window opens on February 4.

Rhino, league winners in 1997, narrowly survived relegation last season and are steadily working hard to regain their long lost glory.

Blick, who led Nkumba University Marines to two back-to-back championships in 2005 and 2006, told Daily Monitor he had been approached by Rhino.

"They told me they would contact their sponsors abroad to pay my tuition fees for a course at UMI (Uganda Management Institute) on top of getting me a job," Blick said.

Blick played for Rhino during the Abraham Lincoln tournament last month prompting many to assume he was due to join the team permanantely.

"I was just having fun in Abe Linc. Marines were not playing but I wanted to remain active, that's why I played for Rhino," he noted.
Blick, along side his brother Donald and Carrol Bisereko are also major targets for newly promoted Kampala City Council (KCC) Lions.

"I will take my time to decide which team to play for. I want a team that has ambition," the high-scoring player, who is also on Rwandan side Espoir's shopping list added.

He may however find difficulty in his transfer exercise with Marines team manager Patrick Ssebuliba defiant to release him.

"No other player apart from Olobo (Moses) has approached me concerning the transfer exercise. I think they are all staying," Ssebuliba told Daily Monitor early this week.

Aldevino Lima (203-C-86) left Portugal to the US this January, when he traded Benfica for Northeastern.
The coaches at Northeastern were very impressed with Vinny's abilities, and height.
He made his collegiate debut at George Mason (Jan. 12) and played 15 minutes, earning one rebound and one steal.

Before NU Vinny Played five seasons of AAU basketball for Associacao Academica do Mindelo in Cape Verde...captained the squad for two seasons...was named team MVP twice...helped lead team to league title in 2006, and in 2007 played for Benfica in Portugal.

Born Aug. 25, 1986, Viny intends to major in Mechanical Engineering, hoping for a career in professional basketball, he enjoys playing soccer with his brothers, he will graduate in 2012.


UNC Wilmington slips by Huskies, 77-69
The Huskies enjoyed a nine-point lead midway through the first half, but the Seahawks went on a 15-0 run and held off a late second half NU rally to beat the Huskies 77-69 Wednesday night at Trask Coliseum in Wilmington, N.C. Sophomore captain Matt Janning led all scorers with 21 points while freshman Aldevino Lima (203-C-86) picked up his first collegiate points with 10. Sophomore Baptiste Bataille played a strong second half, scoring a career-high 10 points and posting five assists. Northeastern is back on the court on Saturday when it entertains Hofstra at Matthews Arena at 1 p.m.

Ivan Almeida (197-F-89), a promising young player for the Cape Verdeanx, has moved to the US to compete at a higher level of basketball.

Ivan left Bairreirense (Portugal), where he played for the Junior team, to Mohawk Valley Community College (MVCC) in Utica, New York. This is a two year school, where Ivan will improve his game and academic skills, in order to transfer to another school.
Ivan will join Joel Almeida, who is in his second season at MVCC.

Mohawk Valley Community College the home of the Hawks is proud to announce the latest student athletes of the week. The MVCC Athlete of the Week for the week ending 12/9/07 is Joel Almeida. Joel had three outstanding games for the Men's Basketball Team last week. He averaged over 22 points and 15 rebounds. Mr. Almeida is a sophomore Liberal Arts major who graduated from Wilby High School in the Cape Verde Islands.

Uhuru Kings on Tuesday of the week grab her first win in the on going Liberia Basketball Federation national league. Uhuru dragged T-Chons 72- 46 points in the first division while Dream Team II outclass Don Bosco Legend with a 61-37 points defeat in division two. Earlier that day, FUBA defeated St. Paul Crushers 50-45 points in the third division. On Wednesday, Monrovia Rockers fell to Commissioners 29-36 points in the first division and in the female division, Survivors crushed Timberwolves 35-29 points. On Thursday, Venture Knights whipped Flames 62-52 points in the first division and former female champion Phoenix buried Supreme Sisters 81-26 points in a match the former champion dominated. In another female chase that day, Destiny Queens dumped Angel Shooters 54-33 points.
The league will continue today with defending champion NPA Pythons facing T-Chons in the first division and in the second pairing which is in the female division, SOS Trotters will engage Survivors. In the opening match today, Star 1 will lock horns with Heats.

Dar es Salaam regional basketball champions, Vijana 'City Bulls' have embarked on strategies to reclaim Kili Super Cup title which they lost to Oilers in the 2006 league season.

The team's head coach Bahati Mgunda told Sunday Citizen yesterday that he has doubled the training to give extra drilling time to his youthful players.

"We have a number of young players who need sufficient training to withstand energetic play of Savio and JKT. I have to work more on the physical rather than technical aspect which I have thoroughly worked on prior to the Kili RBA League," said Mgunda who was last week crowned the best basketball coach this season.

Mgunda, who changed the team's playstyle from individual showmanship to team work basis, said he was impressed with the way his team play at the moment.

He said the newly-recruited players such as Salum Mchemba and Alphonce Kusekwa have managed to form formidable playing partnership with experienced players such as Mohamed Alli Dibo, Jacob Marenga and John Mcharo.

Mgunda said clinching Kili RBA title was just the beginning of the four title chase his team planned in the 2008 basketball season.

"After Kili Super Cup, our next focus will be the National Basketball League (NBL) which will be held in Tanga and later Union Cup whose venue is not yet to be disclosed," said the coach.

Vijana clinched the Kili Super Cup in 2004, but lost it to Oilers in 2005. JKT who won the event in 2006 are the defending champions.

The Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) and club owners of the female clubs in the West African country rose from a parley held over the last weekend and chose the cities of Jos, Abuja, Enugu and Lagos to host the four phases of the Zenith Bank Women’s League for the 2007/08 season.

The meeting was held at the Federation’s office in Abuja and attended by the representatives of the 10 teams that will feature in the current edition of the league.

February 23 was chosen by the joint meeting as the start off date but will remain as tentative until their federation finishes consultations with the league sponsors. Registrations for the teams began on Monday, January 21st and will run through the 14th of next month. First Bank Club who are defending champions will play alongside Dolphins – last season’s runners up, Delta Force, Sunshine Babes amongst others.

The teams, according to the NBBF are allowed to register a maximum of 15 players from which 12 can play for each match. That section of the rules also allows maximum two foreign players or two Nigerian internationals living abroad provided they are registered from the start of the season as part of the 15.

“It was a very constructive meeting. Discussions touched every aspect and agreement reached. The inputs of the clubs and other stakeholders were included as we strive to have the best female league in Africa,” the Secretary of the Federation Francis Gbiri said.

Pius Ayinor

The Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) has announced Lagos and Kano as host cities for the 2009 FIBA Africa Nations Championship for Men which the country has been given the right to host by the continental body. The Technical Director of the Federation Adamu Ahmed told that the two cities were chosen ahead of several others because of what the venues offered.

"The facilities are okay especially Abuja and we are already upgrading Lagos. But aside from the facilities these two centres can best be managed in every way with Lagos having very good basketball following," Adamu said.

Apart from the two centres Bauchi and Kano - both places with basketball clubs and culture are on standby should there be any need to move up to four venues instead of two. FIBA Africa gave Nigeria the option of using two or four centres. All four centres have played host to major basketball competitions in the past.

February 29th, 2009 has been fixed as the date for the draw and will hold at the Ladi Kwali Hall of Abuja Sheraton Hotel while the competition itself will hold from August 18th to 31st.

An NBBF team of the Technical Director and Secretary General Francis Gbiri are billed to be in Cairo, Egypt to defend their details before the FIBA Africa Central Board which will meet in Cairo on the 25th and 26th. Nigeria has hosted all continental basketball competitions and in the last five years hosted the All Africa Games, the FIBA Africa Women Championship (2005 in Abuja) and club champions cup for men in 2006 in Lagos

Pius Ayinor

Sande Bashaija

Kampala

RWANDAN side Espoir are lining up an offer for basketball star Norman Blick. The two-time Most Valuable Player (MVP) is a free agent according to local basketball federation rules.

“We want to bring him on board,” Rwanda's New Times quoted Espoir President Ernest Ruzindana as saying.
Blick together with his brother Donald and Carrol Bisereko, who led Nkumba Marines to two successive national championships in 2005 and 2006 are also a target for newly promoted Kampala City (KCC) Lions.
After Marines failed to make last year's play-offs, Blick had trials with Espoir and played for them in the Gisembe Memorial tournament in November.

The lanky player is said to have impressed the club's management and further proved his competence when Marines beat Espoir in last year's Zone 5 Club Championships at Amahoro Stadium.

“I last talked to them in December but they are yet to get back to me. They had talked of getting me a job and helping me settle in Kigali so I could play for them,” Blick told Daily Monitor yesterday.

“I am weighing all my options and will play for the best club. But what I can confirm is that I am leaving Marines.”

Ruzindana said the 2004 champions are determined to bounce back after two lean years.
“The club has good players but height has been our major undoing so we intend to address this problem very soon (by signing Blick),"Ruzindaza acknowledged.

Blick has been one of the country’s top players since bursting onto the scene with Sky Jammers in 2001. He has won league titles with Jammers and Nkumba Marines.

The 2007-08 national league of the Liberia Basketball Federation continued over the week end at the famous Sports Commission gymnasium in the capital Monrovia. On Friday, Destiny Queens buried Timberwolves 41-33 points in a female clash. In the second encounter which was also in a female chase, defending champion K- Deltas outclass Commissioners 54-22 points and in the first division T-Chons fell to Dream Team 63-67 points in a tension packed match.
On Saturday January 19, 2007, SOS Trotters whipped Heats 57-41 points and on Sunday January 20, 2008, Urban Invaders fell to Don Bosco Legend 47-57 in the second division and in the first division, Dream Team fell to champion NPA Pythons 46-63 points.

from africabasket.com

Dream Team last Monday grabbed her first win in the Liberia Basketball Federation national league. Dream Team whipped newly promoted Commissioners 63-51 points. Before that match, K-Deltas dragged SOS Trotters 96-15 points. The league continued last weekend. On friday December 14, former champions LPRC Oilers disgraced Commissioners with a 81- 46 points defeat. Earlier that day, Georgia Raptors defeated Road Runners 45-38 points in the third division while Fiamah United Brothers buried Star I 58-31 points. The league will take a two weeks break today for the Christmas

from Africabasket.com

ESPOIR have made it clear that they want to hold onto Norman Blick for the 2008 basketball season.

Blick, a two-time Uganda’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) joined Rwanda’s 2004 league champions in the build-up to last year’s Gisembe memorial tournament on a temporary move.

And although Espoir fell to APR in the final, the Ugandan star played a formidable role in Espoir’s run to the final.

Speaking to Times Sport, Espoir’s club president Ernest Ruzindaza indicated that the club was aware about a move linking Blick to KCC’s Lions.

"We are aware of KCC’s intentions but Blick is not our player. He is a Nkumba University player who we are interested in. We want to bring him on board on a permanent deal," he said.

Uganda’s daily Monitor also reported that KCC is interested in three Nkumba University players; Norman Blick, his brother Donald (Blick) and one Carrol Bisereko.

The trio is the backbone of the varsity side and is said to have played a pivot role in helping Nkumba to Uganda’s 2005 and 2006 national league titles.

However, the varsity side’s coach Patrick Ssebuliba has vowed to hold onto his stars. "The players have not talked about it and I don’t even think any club can afford paying transfer fees for them," Ssebuliba bragged.

Espoir have not won any silverware since 2004 and Ruzindaza believes that they need to sign a few players in order to recover their lost supremacy.

"In the past, the club has been reluctant to make any significant signings because it survives on a very small budget.

"We don’t have the resources to keep ourselves busy in the transfer window but this time round, we want to sign wisely if we’re to win something this season.

"The club has good players but height has been their major undoing so we intend to address this problem very soon (by signing Blick)," Ruzindaza acknowledged.

Gezira lost their 2nd game in Dubai last night. Gezira players was very close to beat Asian champion Mohram when they made a great start finishing the 2nd quarter 44-33.Mohram players started the 3rd quarter with full court pressure forcing Gezira to make selly turnovers and finishing the game by 5 points. Gezira will face tonight El hekma (leb) and they need to win to get a better chance in the quarter final .Gezira won over Itthad(syr) 80-75 in their 1st game.

Former premier league outfit D. D. Magic basketball club of Jos is staging a come back into the game with the 6th Ilupeju Classics billed for the Ilupeju leisure and sports centre from January 29 through February 2 this year.

Magic owned by Ibrahim Dallas an Officer of the Nigerian Air Force who is currently on foreign diplomatic mission to the People Republic of China told www.fiba-afrique.org on telephone that his desire to have the team takes part in the Ilupeju Classics was a way to re-launch the once vibrant team.

Magic who was relegated to the less fancied national division-one some years back has been in the doldrums due to the inability of the Nigeria Basketball Federation, NBBF to organized the division-one championship for close to five years running.

The Jos-based side whose owner is planning to relocate it to his home state, Nasarawa will compete against host Warriors Academy, Raptors, Sea Rovers, Whales, UNILAG all of Lagos; Royal Hoopers and Free Net from Port Harcourt and Bayelsa Waves of Yenogoa in the five-day Ilupeju Classics.

Dallas who once serves as head coach of defunct Armed Forces Dragons basketball club says he is optimistic that the team would bounce back strongly and contend for honours in the Nigeria flagship competition – Premier League in no distance future.

“D.D Magic will be back to take it rightful place in the comity of basketball clubs to reckon with in Nigeria and I want to assure the club teeming supporters that plans are underway to inject live back into the once robust but modest club-side, Dallas concluded.
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by Majuto Omary

About Sh4 million are needed to stage the national basketball league (NBL). Lawrence Cheyo, secretary of the Basketball Federation of Tanzania (BFT) said yesterday that staging the tourney in Tanga in March depends on the funds being secutred.
He said the amount is required to cover expenditures for preparations, allowances for referees and other expenditures.
BFT coffers are dry and time is running out, he said, noting that this poses a potential threat to the holding of the tourney. He pleaded with potential sponsors to step in and save the situation which he termed as delicate.
We have completely dry coffers and time is increasingly becoming unfriendly for us to stage a successful championship as planned, he said.
Efforts to secure the funds have failed but the federation was still hopeful something might turn up, he said.
The winner of the national championship would represent the country in the East and Central Africa Club championship, he said.
It has become a habit for donors or sponsors to make a slow response and emerge to rescure events such as this at an eleventh hour, he stated.
This attitude was negative as sometimes it has resulted in unsuccessful or rush hour shoddy preparations, he stated. The national championship is for both men and women basketball teams, he said, urging the regions to stage championships in order to pick their representatives for the national tourney.
BFT has set up strategies to improve the standard of the game in the country but this needs to be backed by sponsorship, he further noted.
So far only Dar es Salaam has staged the regional tourney with Vijana basketball team winning the berth to compete in Tanga.
National title holders Don Bosco also from Dar es Salaam will have an opportunity to stage title defence in Tanga, while JKT Stars shall defend their title in the womens title chase.

by Philip Onyango
Nairobi

A bumper entry is expected for the Cry For Peace basketball tournament which takes place at Mombasa Baptist High School grounds this weekend.

According to tournament convenor Hilmi Ali, the two day event, whose aim will be to preach peace, during current political crisis, will be graced by among others the commissioner of Sports Gordon Oluoch and invited Coast members of parliament.

"It is unfortunate to see that the youth are always found in the middle of the violence which has so far claimed several lives and destroyed property worth millions of shillings and would want to use basketball to try and bring an end to this," he said.

Ali said the tournament will also be used by the clubs and schools to prepare for the basketball season which starts next month.

Untapped talent

He has therefore appealed to teams to take advantage of free participation to attend the tournament in large numbers adding that the tournament will also help in identifying untapped talent which could be recruited by national classic league clubs for the coming season.

Mombasa Baptist High school and Shimba Hills Secondary clash in the first match at 8.00 am to be followed by a girls match between Mombasa High School and Shimba Hills Secondary.

The third match of the day will see Makupa Lakers battle it out with Changamwe Rollers in a mouth watering clash which is expected to be a real thriller.

Other teams which have confirmed their participation are Mlaleo, Mombasa Sports Club, Makande Rebels and Kisauni Kings.
In another development, the nation wide basketball branch elections which were programmed to take place on January 5 but were postponed due to the post election violence will now take place on January 26.

Kenya Basketball Federation vice chairman Henry Shihemi said the national elections will therefore be held on February 2 to elect new officials who will run the basketball affairs in the country for the next couple of years.

Two main camps have emerged at the Coast with one group being fronted by former fixtures secretary Anthony Ojukwu while the other group is led by former Kenya and KPA star player Himi Ali.

In the sixth round of the Egyptian league, all the big teams overcame their opponents starting with Itthad of Alexandria the leader of the Egyptian league who won over Damanhour 84/46 in an easy game for Itthad, while its neighbor's smouha and sporting found a great difficulty beating their opponents Geish and Gasco 72/67, 88/81 respectively. In Cairo, the three big teams didn't find and difficulty facing their opponents. Ahly keep their winning streak by winning their fifth match over Sharqia 72/60, Ahly has a game postponed from the fifth round with Geish. Also Gezira had a big win over Shams 83/60. While Zamalek beat shourta 55/47 in the lowest scoring match since the beginning of the season. By these results Alexandria teams keep leading the league thanks to their junior teams.
The standings of the Egyptian league connected with the juniors U-18:
1- Itthad 54 p.
2- Sporting 53 p.
3- Smouha 50 p.
4- Ahly 48 p.
5- Gezira 44 p.
6- Zamalek 41 p.
7- Geish 41 p.
8- Shams 39 p.
9- Sharqia 38 p.
10- Gasco 34 p.
11- Damanhour 30 p.
12- Shorta 29 p.

by Charles Mutebi
Kampala

BASKETBALL governing body FUBA plans to institute a law for all league club coaches to have licenses with effect from the 2008 season.

Federation technical committee member Joseph Manano revealed this ahead of a meeting with all club coaches to be held at YMCA on Saturday.
"The committee wants to discuss such changes with the coaches before the season starts," Manano said yesterday.

The official added that the meeting, part of the federation's efforts to raise the level of the game in Uganda, will also focus on a review of the past season.

The meeting will also look at the rules and regulations and generate suggestions on how to further improve the league.
This meeting comes after one involving technical committee members and team managers held last week.

Manano also disclosed that the transfer window opens next month while the the 2008 league season will start on April 4.

Mogas Falcons won the men's title while the women's crown went to KCC Leopards.

by Sande Bashaija
Kampala

NEWLY promoted Kampala City Council Lions are on the verge of signing Youth Heaters duo Joseph Ikong and Robert Mubiru.

"We want to add the two players to our team. We have talked to them and should reach a deal any time soon," KCC team manager Joy Olinga said. Youth Heaters were relegated to the Second Division and national team star Ikong indicated he wanted to play in the topflight.

"I think I am too big to play in the lower division," the dunking master told Daily Monitor recently. Though the Makerere University-based Heaters finished second from bottom on the topflight table, Ikong and Mubiru formed a good combination that averaged over 30 points in every game.
They also featured prominently on the Makerere team that defeated KIU in the utl Inter University Games finals. KCC Lions are also close to securing the services of two-time Most Valuable Player (MVP) Norman Blick, his brother Donald and Carrol Bisereko from Nkumba Marines.

They are also eyeing Vegetarian towering center player Chaka Jeje to boost their frontcourt. KCC women's team, the Leopards are current holders of the MTN Basketball League title, having defeated A1-Challenge in last season's final. Record champions Mogas Falcons are current holders of the men's title.

Elsewhere, Kampala International University (KIU) Rangers are lining up Makerere Sparks' Vicky Nassolo. She has been offered a scholarship at the Kasanga-based university.

The 19th edition of Dubai International tournament was made last night, Gezira will be in group(A ) which seems much easier than group(B).Gezira will leave to Dubai on Thursday with a great chance to reach the semifinal. Kaled el kady will not leave with the team for exams while Ahmed zien is still in rehabilitation. JASON Keep the big centre 208 will play with Gezira in the tournament.

- Group A:
UAE National Team (Al Boom Holding)
Mahram (Sama Al Imarat real estate) - Iran (Titleholders)
Al Gezira (Aramisc) - Egypt
Al Ittihad Aleppo (Continental real estate) - Syria
Sagesse Beirut (Plus real estate) - Lebanon

- Group B:
Al Ahli Dubai - Hosts
Zain 'ex-Fastlink' (Dubai Duty Free) - Jordan
Sporting Al Riyadi Beirut (Steelfab)- Lebanon
Saba Battery (Fly Emirates) - Iran
Al Jalaa Aleppo (Dubai Land) - Syria (Runner-ups)

- The tournament's system will be as follows:
1- First round: Teams play against each other
2- Quarter Finals: 5th team will be excluded from each group...Rest teams will play crosses (1st-4th, 2nd-3rd)
3- Semi-Finals4- Final

by Pius Ayinor
Lagos

The Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) and other members of the Nigerian basketball circle will hold the Basketball Stakeholders Conference on Saturday with Abuja as the venue. The date and venue was confirmed by the Federation's Secretary General Mr. Francis Gbiri who was online to THISDAYSports from the NBBF Secretariat in Abuja.

"The date is settled. We are meeting on the 19th (Saturday) in Abuja and the letters of invitation have been sent out accordingly to everyone expected to attend," Gbiri said.

The letter sent by the Secretary to the associations and made available to THISDAYSports reads in part: "I write with reference to the attached programme for 2008 - 2011 Basketball Activities for the Federation and FIBA.

"The Executive Board of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) at its meeting of Saturday, 15th December, 2007, adopted the 2008 Programme as a provisional working paper.

"Further to this approval, I am directed to inform you that the programme will be our guide for planning, preparation and participation at the 2008 activities. However, the programme is subject to change and modification depending on prevailing circumstances."

The meeting will be a combined one for both the Atlantic and Savannah Conferences of the Premier League as requested by some of the teams spoken to by THISDAYSports in an exclusive report last weekend. The meeting will involve representatives of the Federation, representatives of the referees, club owners and representatives of the various state associations across the country. The club owners and managers of the female clubs of the Zenith Premier League are also part of the conference.
The meeting will take a close look at the tentative 2007/08 programme put together by the Federation.

In that regard the conference will deliberate and agree on the take off date of the league as proposed by the NBBF.

The meeting will chiefly deliberate on the Premier League, the Women's league general ideas on way forward for the basketball system in the country.

Angola basketball under-16 male team will gather Wednesday at Petro de Luanda pavilion, in Lunada, to prepare their participation in an international tournament set for February 16-24, in Turkey, ANGOP has learnt.

This was announced by the Angolan basketball federation (FAB)'s technical director, Nuno Teixeira.

Coached by Gerson Bettel, the national squad will try to get experience in international competitions, having into account future events.

Other national teams that will participate in the competition are Croatia, Italy, Poland and Russia.

Angola's basketball ladies team will play Argentina in the first round of the pre-Olympic tournament scheduled for June 09-15, in Madrid (Spain), ANGOP has learnt.
Angola have qualified for this tournament due to the third place conquered at the African Cup of Nations held in Senegal.
Angola will play in group B with Argentina and Check Republic.

by Suleiman Jongo

Fans of newly crowned Dar es salaam Regional Basketball (RBA) kili winners vijana team in jovial mood after their side dethroned holders JKT in yesterdays closely contested final at the Nationa Indoor Stadium in Dar es Salaam. Vijana won 63-54 to win the title.

Vijana basketball team, popularly known as City Bulls yesterday powered their way to win this year's edition of Dar es Salaam Regional basketball title.

They dethroned holders JKT by 63-54 points in a closely contested final match at the National Indoor Stadium in Dar es Salaam. Vijana who clinched the title for the last time four years ago were in a dazzling form as the event ended its tenth edition.
I am happy for this victory as this is what we dreamed of, said Vijana's head coach, Bahati Mgunda. Abdallah Ramadhani Dulla was the winners most outstanding player, as he kept spectators spellbound throughout the match.
A former professional player with the Seychelles Cobras, Dulla netted 14 points that comprised three defensive rebounds, one steal and three turn-overs.
JKT started the match at a cracking pace winning the first quarter 11-6 and maintained their lead to 31-21 points at the half time mark. On resumption Vijana played like wounded bulls, with all barrels blazing, launching attacks to pin their opponents and cheered on by the fans.
With two minutes and nine seconds to regular time, Vijana were leading 57-51, with Ashraf Haroun making three-point attempts to enable JKT catching up with the victors.
Towering JKT attacker Juma Kisocky scored eight points with one steal and one blocker. Following their win, Vijana were handed the trophy plus Sh 3.5m awarded by the sponsors, Kilimanjaro Premium Lager, a Tanzania Breweries Limited (TBL) brand.

JKT were handed a consolation trophy plus Sh2m for finishing second. In the women's discipline, reigning champions JKT Stars earned Sh2m/- for retaining the title, as Jeshi Stars got Sh1m for second finish.
Lady Lions got Sh 500,000/- for being third placed. In another development, Filbert Mwaipungu of the Army Basketball Club (ABC) was selected the Most Valuable Player (MVP) alongside Khadija Kalambo of the Lady Lions.

Each pocketed Sh500,000 plus a sofa set, donated by Airport Night Park. Other players who were awarded for their outstanding performances were Graced Daudi of Jeshi Stars and Tarimo Tarimo of Savio, selected as best blockers, to earn Sh200,000/- each.

Nelly Anyingisye and Mohamed Ally Dibo each earned Sh300,000/- as the MVPs of the final matches.

Mgunda of Vijana and Peter Samson of JKT Stars were each awarded Sh200,000 as best coaches while JKT (men) and CMTU (women) were selected the most disciplined teams, getting Sh300,000/- and Sh200,000/- respectively. The league was organised by Basketball Dar es Salaam (BD).

The second phase of the Champions Nest National Basketball League will resume this weekend across the Lagos metropolis.

The league which is targeted at players who are twenty years and below went on break last December so as to allow the players celebrate the yuletide season with their lover ones will be rounded off in April www.fiba-africa.org was reliably informed.

'The league which started last year October is to run for 6 months ending in April. The Vision of the league is to positively influence the lives of the teeming youths and to empower them to become better person, informed the league Coordinator, Godwin Unegbe.

The former Nigeria International forward stated that the mission behind the league is to raise world class athletes, which are hinged on three core objectives that will help the organizers achieve its goal.

The one-time Lagos Islanders and Ebun Comets basketball clubs power-forward says the aim and objective of the league includes, creating a platform for reaching out to the youths and creating opportunities for them to make use of their talents. These opportunities can be scholarships, professional sports, etc.

Secondly, to promote the importance of education through basketball and emphasize important topics such as career development and counseling, leadership training, etc.

And lastly, is to encourage grassroots basketball development, youth empowerment and development and the ability to create employment for referees and coaches and all those who are associated with basketball in the country at large and Lagos State in particular.

Currently, six venues are being used for the league they include Police College, Ikeja, National Stadium, Surulere, Navy Barracks, Ajegunle, United Christian Secondary School, Apapa, Warriors Academy Ground, Ilupeju and the University of Lagos Basketball Court, Akoka.

Female teams taking part in the league are; Baby Seals, Unilag, Rookies, Raptors Angel, Blazing Queens, CBC Jewels and United Christian, while the male teams includes; Police Rookies, Unilag, Police Bombers, CBC, Dodan Warriors, Golden State, Nigerian Navy, Flames, Rockets and Raptors.

Alongside the league, a seminar is expected to take place. Topics of the seminar would include; The Importance of Education and the Female Athlete.

from africabasket.com

by Sande Bashaija
Kampala

MOSES Olobo is leaving 2006 National Basketball League champions Nkumba Marines for a new challenge with Kampala International University (KIU).

Olobo, commonly known as the iron man, becomes the fourth star player to indicate he wouldn't play for the two-time champions next season.

Blick brothers Norman and Donald together with Carrol Bisereko have already decided to join newly promoted KCC Lions.

Unlike the trio, Olobo has the blessings of Marines team manager Patrick Ssebuliba.

"Olobo has been offered a scholarship at KIU and I can't stop him from studying," said Ssebuliba. "But bearing in mind the quality of player Olobo is, KIU must compensate us. They have to pay for his services."
Olobo, one of the most physical players in the league, has already featured for KIU, leading them to the National Universities championship.
They defeated hosts Uganda Christian University (UCU) Mukono in the finals. Though he has played for KIU, Marines might protest his presence in the league unless they are given a cash compensation.
Meanwhile Ssebuliba has dismissed claims that another star Karl Mugalu is also on his way out. "I think Karl will be the last to leave Marines. At least I know he can't because he is one of our pioneers and has in some cases contributed funds to the club," Ssebuliba said.

by Paul Munyuki
Harare

The Basketball Union of Zimbabwe is lining-up three major regional tournaments in the first half of this year. The games will take place between April 5 and June 14 but the venue of the tournaments is yet to be decided.

This tournament will be the biggest basketball event since Zimbabwe hosted the All-Africa Games in 1995. Zimbabwe will host the Zone VI Fiba Under-18 Championships from April 5-12 before they host the women's Club Championships scheduled for May 3-10. A month latter Zimbabwe will also play host to the men's Club Championships from June 9 to 14.

And BUZ are also expected to bid to host the Under-16 championships that are expected to take place in July or August this year. But BUZ administrator Simon Lawson said their main efforts at the moment lie with the Under-18 sides that will begin preparations next Friday.

The preparations will begin with the trials selection in all the provinces with the trials expected to run for at most two days. "Our number one objective at the moment is for the Under-18 to qualify for the Africa Championships where one country per zone will qualify before the addition of the hosts, status call and runners up to bring it to 12.
"At the moment our main efforts are on the Under-18 tournament as we are also beginning preparations as it is also the closest event on our calendar. "Depending with the number of players or teams that would have turned up for the provincial trials, the selection process can go for two days with the boys on one day and the girls the other. "We are looking at hosting the inter-country Under-18 tournament, the men's and women's club championships but we are hoping that we will again win the bid to host the Under-16 championships. "The Under-18 tournament is set for early April before we go on to play hosts to the women's club championships and the men's tournament in June.
"In the recent past years the hosting of the club championships has largely been inter-changed between South Africa and Mozambique. "But it is very fortunate that we managed to win the bid to host these games and we are not ending there as we would also like to host the Under-16 championships as well.
"But the date for the junior tournaments are yet to be decided as the games are likely to take place between July and August," said Lawson.

Itthad and Sporting in a very strong game of this round in Alexandria finished for Itthad (75-71).
Zamalek vs Gazco, Zamalek beat Gazco (64-42) as Zamalek and Gazco be equal in the first period (14-14) then Zamalek player return to game and beat Gazco.
Gezira beat Damenhour (85-59) in an easy game for Gezira.
Shams beat Smouha also in a big game from both team (76-73).
The game between Alahly and Geish appointed after Ashraf Tawfick(Alahly coach) mother died.

Cameroon were one of the surprise packages at the FIBA Africa Championship last year, reaching the title game before falling to Angola.

They served notice that Africa has a powerhouse in the making, and Coach Lazare Adingono has been charged with the responsibility of making sure this national team reaches its full potential.

Adingono, who is an assistant coach at Canisius in Buffalo, New York, spoke to Julio Chitunda on behalf of FIBA.

Here is Part I of Chitunda's story on the emerging force in international basketball, Cameroon.

If confidence were something you could put your hands on, or see with your own eyes, then confidence would come in the shape of Cameroon head coach Lazare Adingono.

That’s right.

Everything about Adingono exudes confidence after the stunning performance of his national team last year at the FIBA Africa Championship, where Cameroon announced their arrival on the world stage with a terrific run to the final.
They were ultimately beaten for the first time in the tournament by juggernauts Angola.
The performance was good enough to earn them a place in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament, though, an event that will be staged in Athens in July.
The draw for that tournament comes at the end of January, and rest assured, no team will be taking Cameroon lightly if they come up against them.
"One thing for sure is that every time we take the floor we will compete, expecting to win," Adingono said to FIBA.com.
Only three spots are up for grabs in the men’s tournament at the Olympics and there are 12 teams vying for those places.

In addition to Cameroon, you will find Brazil, Cape Verde, Canada, Croatia, Germany, Greece, Korea, Lebanon, New Zealand, Puerto Rico and Slovenia all contesting for those places.
Cameroon’s team is young and talented, and their players are currently in the United States playing college basketball or in Europe.
Most of the attention is on the young guns honing their skills in the US.
Youth, in fact, applies to all aspects of this national team.
Adingono is only 29-year-old, and he, too, is in America. He is assistant coach at Canisius College in Buffalo, New York.
"I honestly think our future performances at the next Pre-Olympic Games will greatly depend on how much and where we prepare for that special upcoming event," Adingono said.
Could this really be the emerging force in African basketball? If you consider who is in this team, it’s tempting to say yes.
There is talent in abundance, youth and now international experience.
Adingono said: "I believe that, in addition to Angola, which has proven that they can compete with the very best in the world, the African continent is right at the forefront and will be ready to compete on a consistent basis worldwide," he said.

And the preparation will be key.
"I am hopeful that we will have a (good) preparation leading to the next qualifying tournament," he stressed again.
"We, as a nation, will welcome any sponsors that would like to endorse us for that particular event.
"Working in collaboration with the [Cameroon] Basketball Federation and Ministry of Sports, we are looking to put a plan in place.
"I am confident that all the people that support basketball in Cameroon and worldwide will help us every step of the way and provide the finances necessary to prepare and compete on an even playing field."
Adingono is confident, yet he is also very humble.
His national team players, he believes, are getting first-class instruction in the game in America.
"I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the coaches that are doing everything possible to get these young men to be the best that they can be," he said.
"I think the NCAA is the best thing that we have going in developing our young talent to give us a realistic chance to compete and expect to win in such grand stage."

And who are some of these talented players?

The best known lives in Los Angeles, and plays at the same university – UCLA - that gave the basketball world Lew Alcindor, the man who later changed his name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and shone for the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers.

Cameroon’s star at UCLA is forward Mbah A Moute.

"Mbah A Moute is very talented young man and will play a huge role in leading a young group of people to many future competitions starting with the Pre-Olympics next summer in Greece," Adingono said.

BY JULIUS MBARAGA

The local basketball governing body, Ferwaba is working round the clock to raise a formidable national junior team for this year’s Zone V junior championship. The championship is scheduled for April and although the venue is yet to be confirmed, Rwanda is one of those countries vying to stage the event.

According to the federation’s assistant technical director Innocent Karuhije, the federation has named a 30-man provisional team from which twelve players will be selected to represent the country.

The national sports holiday program and the inter-schools competitions have been the selection forums for the 30-man provisional team and Karuhije further noted that this team would be beefed up with all those players who feature in the national basketball league and are below 21-years of age.

“The holiday sports program and the inter-schools competitions certainly made the selection a lot easier because we were able to select 30 good players from over 400 players who were part of these competitions,” Karuhije explained.

The championship also acts as a qualifying forum for the African Cup of Nations junior tournament that is scheduled for August in Cairo, Egypt.

During the national junior team’s last outing in the inaugural Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOCA) Games that were staged in Nairobi in 2006, Rwanda stunned the region with a remarkable performance.

Rwanda settled for a silver medal after losing (62-87) to Egypt in a thrilling final that had attracted nine countries.

On her way to the final, Rwanda had thrashed Uganda, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia and the hosts Kenya.
Ends

Vijana defeated Savio 65-41 to qualify for Kili RBA final set for Sunday at the Dar es Salaam`s Indoor Stadium. Savio played below standard and were 23-33 until the halftime in the match played at the Indoor Stadium on Wednesday.
Top scorers for Vijana were Alphonce Kusikwa who tallied 15 points and Jacob Malenga (11) while George Tarimo and Ally Mnyamani scored 21 and six points respectively for Savio.
Vijana and JKT will now meet in the final. JKT defeated ABC to qualify.
Meanwhile, Kili RBA Super League will kick off on February 15.

Saterday first game held between last year champion water design and cherokee,water start leading the game from the first second and take an easy win over their against 141-58 including a beautiful back dank and left hand salm dunk by UMAD .
Second game was very intersting, last year second EIG and thestis (carlos team he is from USA )they tied from the first quarter of the game up to end each quarter big lead 6 point. thestis top scorer carlos leads a team by 20 points ,addis and eskender added 20 and eig Simon and Ebrahim give there best performance to dominat the game.

by africabasket.com

Coach of Rookies Basketball Academy, Mark Balogun, may not be a name that rings a bell to followers of the slam and dunk game in Nigeria, but among some of the country's top players based in the country and abroad, he is a household name. Some of the players are Churchill Odia, Akin Akintunde, Malik Tella, Daniel Daudu, Segun Daudu, Mike ‘Ori' Ohiero, Nkoyo George and Juliet Obi.

Before he became a basketball player he was a teacher at some point in his life leading up to his bagging a Physical and Health Education (PHE) degree, as well as a coaching certificate from the National Institute for Sports (NIS).

He told GEORGE AKPAYEN his reasons behind his basketball programme at the basketball court of the Police College in Ikeja, Lagos. Excerpts:

A few people know that you have been one of those at the forefront of hunting and grooming talents in the game of basketball. For how long have you been doing this and why?
I have been organizing and sponsoring this programme since 1992 because of the conviction that I have that I can contribute positively to humanity in order to help youths grow in the game and as responsible people in the society. I thank God that up till this moment the programme is ongoing. I am happy that my programme has been able to get some of our youths off the streets and crime.
I believe that this programme will empower our youths.

Before you became a coach, at what level did you play basketball?
I started playing basketball from the Under-12 level under one American coach, Don Burrell. I also played in the Secondary School category for Fatima College, Ikire in the first edition of the National Schools Sports Meet that was held in Lagos in 1977. After that I also played in the junior national team alongside the likes of Gboyega ‘Tilo' Vidal and Deji Jaiyeola among others. But then my priority was to go to school while some of my friends then decided to go ahead and play basketball. At the school level, I played in the NICEGA Games for College of Education, Ilesa, and we won the competition in Ijanikin (Lagos), and I was the captain of the team and I got a sports award. Later, I went to the University of Benin (UNIBEN) and I represented UNIBEN at the Nigeria University Games Association, NUGA Games and we won the basketball event in Calabar. After that I represented Nigeria at the World University Games and I came back to play in several matches in the Division-1 league then for Golden Stars of Oyo State and when I joined the Police Force I started playing for the Police Basketball Team, which was later changed to Police Bombers basketball Club. We changed it to Police Bombers and since then the Police Bombers have been in the Premier League up till 2003 when the general elections held leading to the withdrawal of all policemen. Since then we have ceased playing in the Premier League.

You have been running this programme for more than one decade. How have you been generating funds to finance the Under-18 and Under-16 boys and girl's competition?
I must give God the glory because it is not easy. A lot of people think I am a mad man when they see me in the sun coaching young players, but I have a vision and I know where I am going to. Obviously, God has been in support and at a time, friends who are basketball players started supporting, and I really appreciate their support. People like the Dolphins Basketball Club chairman, Wale Aboderin, Dr. Phil Osagie and even Babs Ogunade, the chairman of Lagos State Basketball Association, who supported us two years ago and a lot of other friends as well. I have been struggling to get sponsorship from corporate bodies, but it has not been fruitful and I hope this year will be different. Two years ago, Indomie supported us with their products and they did the same last year though it was on a smaller scale compared to two years ago. Also, a new body that just sprang up - Friends of Basketball Africa Foundation - has been very supportive.

You handle mostly teenagers, how do you ensure that they combine the game with their education?
I am a father and husband, and I know the importance of education in the life of anybody. I have three children and I am proud of them because my first and second child are passionate about basketball than I am so happy about this development. So, I always encourage them and at the same time I make sure that they do not lose focus in their academic pursuit. My philosophy as a coach is that my players combine basketball and education together. I always ensure that my players are always in school because at the end of the day, not all of them would end up playing basketball. Many of my players who have left this court (Police College, Lagos) are professionals in different fields. We have those who have gone on to become doctors and engineers who are in the United States. I think the most important thing is to develop that talent because basketball can take you anywhere in the world.
Since I started this programme, I have trained more than 200 kids and more than 50 of them are doing well. So, a lot of clubs have come here (Police College basketball court) to pick players.

Daily Independent

The local basketball governing body, Ferwaba is working round the clock to raise a formidable national junior team for this year's Zone V junior championship.

The championship is scheduled for April and although the venue is yet to be confirmed, Rwanda is one of those countries vying to stage the event.

According to the federation's assistant technical director Innocent Karuhije, the federation has named a 30-man provisional team from which twelve players will be selected to represent the country.

The national sports holiday program and the inter-schools competitions have been the selection forums for the 30-man provisional team and Karuhije further noted that this team would be beefed up with all those players who feature in the national basketball league and are below 21-years of age.

"The holiday sports program and the inter-schools competitions certainly made the selection a lot easier because we were able to select 30 good players from over 400 players who were part of these competitions," Karuhije explained.

The championship also acts as a qualifying forum for the African Cup of Nations junior tournament that is scheduled for August in Cairo, Egypt.
During the national junior team's last outing in the inaugural Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOCA) Games that were staged in Nairobi in 2006, Rwanda stunned the region with a remarkable performance.

Rwanda settled for a silver medal after losing (62-87) to Egypt in a thrilling final that had attracted nine countries.

On her way to the final, Rwanda had thrashed Uganda, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia and the hosts Kenya.

TWO-TIME Most Valuable Player (MVP) Norman Blick, his brother Donald and prolific Carrol Bisereko are quitting 2006 National Basketball League champions Nkumba University Marines for newly promoted Kampala City Council (KCC) Lions.

"We are all free agents and will be joining KCC Lions. We have promoted the image of Nkumba but there is nothing we have gained. Its high time we moved on," Bisereko told Daily Monitor yesterday.

But Marines team manager Patrick Ssebuliba has vowed to hold onto his stars.

"I have heard it from you. No one from KCC has approached me about the transfers. The players have also not talked about it," Ssebuliba said.

"I don't think any club can afford paying transfer fees for those guys. One would have to give me a BMW to take Norman and a Mercedes Benz for Donald. Which club can afford such unless they break the bank?"

However Ssebuliba could be in for a big shock as the players have decided to leave on a free.

"We've been with Marines for more than three years. That means we are free agents and KCC won't have to pay any transfer fees," Bisereko noted.

There is a provision in the basketball governing body, Fuba rules, which allows players to move to other clubs after playing for two years.

KCC Lions Team Manager Joy Olinga said she had established contact with Ssebuliba.

"I hope to meet him soon and we finalise everything. We are looking at building a team that can challenge for honours and these are some of the players that can deliver at the top most level," she told Daily Monitor.

Marines, champions in 2005 and 2006 failed to make play-offs last season and may find it difficult dealing with topflight opposition this year if the three players leave.

2007 was a great year for local basketball. A few controversies might have reared their ugly heads, but largely there was a lot to smile about.

Falcons' come-from-behinds wins over UCU Canons and Kyambogo Warriors in the final will linger on in the memory of many fans.

Local basketball body FUBA will be hoping that 2008 even better the fortunes that 2007 brought along.

And although the basketball players have gone into hibernation until March 2008, projection into 2008 will draw the picture of what to expect.

The basketball administrative rules and by-laws must be streamlined if not synchronized with those of the Federation of International Basketball Association (FIBA). Last year, several controversies arose. A case in point is the Louis Habineza and Falcons matter that ended with the former being given the all-clear to feature in the play-offs.

Such controversies left a bitter taste in the mouths of fans. 2008 looks set to walk the same path. Already, FUBA is embattled with the likely resignation of Peter Mubanda, a committee member because of matters related to rule interpretation.

In addition, having a better surface court for the safety of the players is one thing FUBA boss Ambrose Tashobya promised to work on but it's still pending. Ready First Aid at all games is still a rarity. With the risk facing players as a result, you expect that a second year in office for the current FUBA will sort this.
The year 2007 manifested quality in the game with improvement especially in the women's display. The unpredictability has made the game very competitive and as such the excitement is expected to continue in 2008. Teams like KIU men, Miracle and Nkumba should bounce back to make the men's title race more mouth-watering. All these teams have quality players who are potential match-winners.

Come March, players like Makmot Orom (KIU), Judith Nansubuga (KIU Rangers), Dorothy Kanyonyuzi and Mercy Kasobya (Victoria Lakers), Joshua Etalu and Nelson Wafula (Warriors), Joseph Ikong and Joseph Mugenyi (Makerere Heaters), Mariam Tamale (Nabisunsa) John Musoke, Jimmy Enabu and Collins Mukiza (Knight-Riders), Assumpta Nakabugo and Mary Kissa (Lady-Bucks), Sunday Okot (Charging Rhinos) plus Francis Tumusiime (Falcons) and Steven Mwesige (Sadolin Power) are expected to light up the league.

However, with hitches still evident in many players' technical ability, development of coaches is imperative. FUBA should also institute a youth development structure. Surely, all this shouldn't be so much to ask for since Tashobya promised to erect such structures. A promise will always be a debt.

Sporting players played a great game yesterday and kept controlling the game from the beginning. Ahmed monier and the American point guard showed a great performance in last night game.Gezira players where out of shape and couldn't create any easy shots against the hard defence of sporting team.Ramy Gunady (184-G-81)didn't play for injury.

BEFORE the 2008 basketball season starts, all men's first division FUBA teams will have, at the very least, a foggy idea of what they hope to achieve.

A few will have genuine title hopes, most will go through the motions while the rest will hope to survive relegation. Charles Mutebi peeps into their likely intuitions about 2008.

Title Contenders

Mogas Falcons - They won't mind another poor regular season as long as they qualify for the playoffs as the weakest team, enough to remind their rivals that the championship is actually won in the post season.
For much of the second round of last year's league, the 2007 national champions looked like they would miss the playoffs for the first time. Henry Malinga's long injury spell and Sam Obol's binding academic schedule looked like they had done them in.
But they qualified and what followed is history, lessons of which their rivals will not forget, especially the fact that writing off the Falcons is not a very good idea.

Kyambogo Warriors - Sport can be cruel as the Warriors might attest. After multiple attempts they reached their first finals last year, took a 2-0 in the best of five series, before losing it all.
So once again the Warriors will start 2008 with a similar brief - shed your reputation as the nearly men of Ugandan basketball.
Mustering the mental strength needed to go one better on last year will not be easy pecking though.

UCU Canons - They were unbeatable in the 2007 league, sometimes playing a game that smacked of origins from another galaxy and only lost twice when key players and coach Jason Mehl were away.
But in failing to win the championship, the Canons conceded something else - the aura of invincibility that aided much of their first year in the top flight. Their rivals will ask many more questions now that the playing field is level.

Sadolin Power - Arguably with the best pound to pound assemble of talent of any team, Power also beats all for disorganisation.
A strong love for the bottle and rumoured clicks within the team are some of the well known offenses.
But Power concluded a turbulent 2007 with unanimity on the need for a coach. The return of Isaac Afidra after four years with KIU will be another boost.
Sadolin clearly have the power, so will they use it?

Nkumba Marines - They will do well to play all their league games. The Marines will not easily forget the walkover that came to define their past season.
Still defending champions, the Marines would not have guessed that their season ended with failure to play against the MUK Heaters. They missed the playoffs by one point thanks to the consequent walkover penalty that denied them a maximum of four points and a minimum of two.
Still, the Marines can be unstoppable whenever they so wish.

Loungers

KIU Men - After four years of depending on him, Afidra is gone. This year could see a considerable decline if Afidra's leadership is not assumed.
But this fear may prompt a little more from everyone, making the team a lot better instead. Besides, Afidra was always accused of being single minded.
KIU could become capable of the odd shock but perhaps not well equipped to foster a title run.

Miracle - Their guards have talent to burn but they are powerless to transform their perennial mid-table status. The team needs skilled big men or little will change.

Charging Rhino - The worry is that, after the frantic end to last season, targeting survival will not be small mindedness even for the 1997 champions.

Relegation Favourites

Crane High - Nothing can prepare the reigning division two champions for the baptism of fire that awaits them in their first ever season among the big boys.
Short of an extreme squad makeover, relegation is inevitable for this mainly high school team.

KCC Lions - Their fate can only be similar to that of their conquerors in last year's division two finals.

The difference is they offer financial allowances, unlike the majority of other clubs, which might be enough to lure key additions to their clearly weak squad.

When Vander Joaquim was growing up in Angola, his parents realized their son's basketball ability could be his ticket to a college education in the U.S.

Considering he's only 17, stands 6-8 and already has played for the Angolan national team, Joaquim certainly has the athletic makeup.

In his first semester at Christian High in El Cajon, Angola's Vander Joaquim, a 6-8 junior, has made an immediate impact on the 10-5 Patriots.
The first step to gaining a college scholarship would be graduation from an American high school, but putting the plan into motion was a challenge for Joaquim's parents.

Living in Luanda, the capital of Angola on the west coast of Africa, Paulo is a shipmaker while Alda makes floral arrangements. Their son spoke no English, only his native Portuguese, and none of his three older brothers was taller than 6 feet. The family wasn't exactly known as a hotbed for basketball talent.

"Mostly my parents wanted a better lifestyle for me in the U.S.A.," Joaquim, now a junior at Christian High, said through an interpreter.

The family's plan began to pay dividends during one of Joaquim's tours with the Angolan national team.

"We mostly played all over the African continent," Joaquim said. "But one time we went to Brazil for an international tournament. I have family in Brazil. My uncle, who lives in Rio de Janeiro and played college basketball at Wayland Baptist University (Plainview, Texas), watched me play. He told me he would help me get to the U.S.A.

"We looked on the Internet for schools that offered English as a second language."

Among those schools was Christian, where Joaquim was granted enrollment over the summer.

"One day I received a call from Vander," said Patriots basketball coach Kelvin Starr. "I feel lucky that he picked us."

Small wonder, considering Joaquim's size and athletic versatility make him a prize addition to the Patriots' roster.

Christian High is part of Shadow Mountain Church in El Cajon, which is sponsoring Joaquim's stay in this country. Shadow Mountain arranged for Joaquim to live with church member Rubens Ferreira, who speaks Portuguese. Not only does Ferreira – a paving contractor – act as Joaquim's interpreter, he is also his mentor.

"Boy, can that kid eat," Ferreira said. "He eats six sandwiches every morning. His favorite meal is steak."

According to Starr, Joaquim is immersed in his studies.

"This semester Joaquim is enrolled in two English classes, a math class, a computer class, a Bible study class, an ensemble class and a most valuable tutorial (one-on-one with emphasis on English) class," the coach said.

The academic load is not what Joaquim expected.

"Trying to learn English has my head swimming," Joaquim said. "But I know I need it, that I need to catch up."

Joaquim said he devotes 10 hours per day to academics.
"The level of education is higher, more excellent here," Joaquim said. "But I have to say that how long I have to study here is something I really don't like. I know that I must do it if I want to go on and play college basketball."

Joaquim has made an immediate impact on the court, averaging 23.7 points (shooting 57 percent from the field) and 17.9 rebounds for the 10-5 Patriots. Despite his comfort zone of playing outside the paint, Joaquim has shown his versatility by blocking 33 shots.
"He has incredible touch around the basket," said Christian assistant coach Tobin Wilkins. "He's good with both his right and left hand. He's got stuff you can't teach."

Starr agrees.

"Obviously he is an impact player for us," said Starr. "Right now it's understanding the game and what we're trying to do. I think at the next level he'll be a No. 3 (small forward). But for us he needs to play a little bit more inside because we need to fine-tune our offense."

Patriots point guard Daniel Hazlett, a three-year starter, welcomes the big man in the post.
"Just having him on the court creates a lot of open shots for the rest of us," Hazlett said.

Adjusting from international competition to the American game has taxed Joaquim as much as anything he's faced in the classroom.
"As rugged as he was when he joined us, the refs tacked him with a foul almost every time he made a move," Starr said. "Some of the officials out there still pick on him because he's tall."

Joaquim said the game in Angola was more of a challenge.
"I played against players more knowledgeable and older than I, like 21 and 22," he said. "It's more physical over there. Even though there were less fouls, I felt more comfortable. And I was guarding people my own height, which I rarely do over here."

Joaquim said he's made lots of friends in East County but still occasionally feels homesick. Ferreira said Joaquim communicates with his parents about twice a week.

"It's mostly by e-mail," Joaquim said. "But sometimes the people at the high school arrange for me to talk by telephone. I like that."
All is not perfect for Joaquim.
Asked if he has a girlfriend, Joaquim replied, "No, man, I don't speak English."

by FIBA.com

The 2007 Summer Slam Tourney was played at Lehakoe Indoor courts on the weekend of 22nd December 2007. There were eight registered teams for this tournament. Namely; Bashana-Baeso, Lerotholi Polytechnic, Leseli, Rovers, Lialuma,Rangers,Killar Beez and Raaa. Out of all these teams only two are not registered in the NBL. Lerotholi Polytechnic which is unbeaten in the NBL suffered their first loss of the year in the hands of Rovers . Bashana-Baeso went on to win the final against Rovers, boosted by their players who syudy in South Africa. Matlatsa Nteso of Bashana-Baeso scooped the MVP award and a gym membership at Lehakoe. The tournament was held in conjuction with LBA and TKI to raise funds for charity.

Group 1
Killa Bees
Lerotholi Polytechnic
Rovers
Raaa

Group 2
Bashana-Baeso
Leseli
LialumaRangers

Zamalek lost their second game from Gezira last night by 7 points. Gezira played with out Ramy Genedy,I braheem EL Adawy, Zien Ahmed while all Zamalek stars participated in the game. Zamalek seems having some problems with the players as they didn't show any fighting spirit yesterday.Gezira played without a center most of the time speeding the game and putting a lot of pressure on zamalek players. Ahmed adel zamalek assistant coach said (Our junior team under16 lost 12 games leaving us without any hope to win this league).

The Cape Verdian national team is officially without a head coach. Emanuel Travoada a, who had dismissed reports that he was leaving, has finally left to Angola to join Desportivo da Huila, in the Angola national championships.
With the pre olympic qualifying tournament only a few monhths away, the National Basketball Federation has been hit with another problem to resolve.
The speculation about the move, began in October, but Fiba-AFriba had reported in November, that Emanuel Travoada a denied the move.
"It is just speculation. It is true that they contacted me, but I am still Cape Verde coach," he told PA Sport.
We have just received the confirmation that Emanuel Travoada will leave to Angola tommorrow to join his new team.

Jaime Covilha, with 1º de Agosto, winner of recently held 2007 edition of the African Cup Winners Cup of Basketball for men, is expected to continue as aid to the Portuguese coach, Luís Magalhães, who will lead the group in the next three years.

The information was supplied to ANGOP by the club's director, Fernando Barbosa. According to the official, Covilhã will remain in the team assisting the Portuguese or take a course overseas.

Jaime Covilhã whose contract with 1º de Agosto finish at the end of this season, won six national titles with the team, as assistant of Mario Palma, two African Club of Champion cup, besides various African Cups of Nations under Angolan team.

On both seasons as 1º de Agosto coach (2006/2007) lost the National Championship and Champions Cup to rival Petro de Luanda.

In 2007 he got a gold medal in the Pan-African Games of Algiers (Algeria) with the country's main team.

Vlademiro Romero Supercup, initially scheduled for Friday, will start on January 9, after teams of the competition (Petro de Luanda and 1º de Agosto) asked for a change in the.

This was said Thursday in Luanda by Angola Basketball Federation (FAB) secretary general Tony Sofrimento. According to the FAB official, talking to ANGOP, the competition will take place at Cidadela Stadium at 7:00 pm.

The competition will bring face to face Petro de Luanda (national champion) and 1º de Agosto, Angola's Cup winner. A balanced match is expected, since both clubs have athletes with a lot of technical and tactical qualities.

by Majuto Omary

Tanga municipality is the next host of this year's edition of the Mainland basketball club championship.Lawrence Cheyo, the secretary general of the Tanzania Basketball Federation (TBF) said yesterday that the championship will be held in March, with actual schedules being worked out.

Budget estimates for the championship are still being computed, and all regions are supposed to stage competitions so as to select their club representatives, he said.Out of 15 regions sending representative teams only Dar es Salaam is staging a championship to determine the teams for the national championship.

The ongoing Kili RBA league that reaches its climax on Sunday will produce the representative for Dar es Salaam region for both men and women teams, he said.Commenting on the performance of the federation in the past year, Cheyo said close to 90 per cent of the calendar was adhered to despite that BFT failed to call the annual general meeting.

"We successfully managed to stage the club championship, Taifa Cup and the Union league, a remarkable development," he said.He lamented that local firms shun sponsoring basketball championships, hailing Tanzania Breweries for supporting Kili RBA, the Dar es Salaam tourney.

Other firms would do well to emulate TBL's initiative in providing sponsorship packages for basketball championships as in soccer, he added.

by Wale Quadri

It has always been the norm in our society that when a year runs its full course and a brand new one approaches, the tendency to count the blessings of the out going year is irresistible.

The mood at this period is to seat back and critically take stock of activities from the beginning of the year till the end in order to master the mistakes of the past years and probably chart a new course for the new born year.

Just as it is important for individual to take stock, so it must be for institutions, organizations and the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) should be no exception.

For the NBBF, it would be a hand sell. While other sports federations will indulge in some self praise for their modest achievements in year 2007, NBBF led by its president Elder Jacob Buba Gyang will perhaps bury its head in shame for backsliding in the year 2007.

For the slamming and dunking game, the out gone year is that of one step forward, multi steps backward.

Rather than building up on the success story of year 2006 that brought a renewed hope for the game, activities within the basketball circle became paralyzed in 2007. The inability to dunk off the 2006/2007 domestic league season, following the withdrawal of its sponsor, V/Mobile (now Celtel) was a sore point for the NBBF board.

In spite of his position as Comptroller-General (CG) of Nigeria Custom Service (NCS), Elder Gyan (board) failed to muster enough energy to draw new sponsors, thereby pouring bucket of ice on the game and its stakeholders.

Players and officials of the game loafed around the Indoor Sports Hall, National Stadium, Lagos like an expectant father sauntering around the corridor of the Labour Room to hear the cry of his new born baby. Though, while the father eventual smiled on arrival of his new born baby, for Nigerian basketball players and officials they waited in vain for the league to hold.

The ripple effect of non-availability of the domestic league took its tolls on the national teams performances at continental and international levels.

The chains of failures started mid in the year when the Junior Tigers, reigning African champions fell like a pack of card at the 8th FIBA U-19 World Championship in Novi Sad, Serbia, finishing 13th best against their 11th position they earned four years back in far away Athens.

While the players and officials gave their best against all odds, the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) did nothing or little to get the team’s preparation started in earnest.

The country’s overall performance at the 9th All Africa Games, Algiers 2007, where Team Nigeria failed to defend its top position achieved on home soil four years ago in Abuja did not come to many as a surprise. What shocked the basketball fraternity were the lackluster performances recorded by both male and female national teams.

After recording gold at the Abuja 2003, Senegal subverted the Nigeria’s Lady Tigers to claim top position in basketball event, while D’Tigers only succeeded in defending the bronze they won on home soil behind continent’s basketball power house, Angola and Egypt.

As if these failures were like butter in the mouth, the Nigerian senior national team headed to Luanda, Angola for the FIBA Africa Championship for Men (Afrobasket 2007), a Beijing 2008 qualifier. Dwelling on what transpired before the championship will be like a wife nagging her husband bad preparation.

While other African countries jostling for the sole Olympics ticket journeyed Europe for tune up matches, Nigeria hurriedly assembled a ‘crack’ team and landed in Luanda few days to the commencement of the championship. Funny enough some Nigerian players met their newly recruited American coach for the first time in Angola.

The result, Nigeria did not make it the top three and they kissed Bejing Olympics bye, while minnows like Cape Verde and Cameroon secured a place for another attempt at qualifying for the summer Games in Beijing, China.

Lady Tigers followed in similar circumstance in Senegal, where relatively unknown Malian team booked their Olympic ticket courtesy of finishing top at the event, another path of qualification was opened to Angola and Senegal in the coming Olympic qualifying tournament for women in Madrid, Spain, from June 9–15, 2008.

At the African clubs championship, First Bank and Dolphins refused to fly the country’s flag high in far away Maputo, Mozambique where the Africa Champions Cup for Women took place. The Adewunmi Aderemi led Elephant Girls finished a distance seventh position, while Dolphins finished second from behind.

In the male version of the African clubs contest, the tale of losses continued in Angola.

Niger Potters of Minna, Nigeria’s sole representatives failed to live up to expectations after their heroic performance at the Africa Zone 3 elimination championship. The team finished fifth behind Angola’s duo Primeiro de Agosto, Petro Atletico, Abidjan Basketball Club (ABC) of Cote d’ Ivoire and Interclub of Angola at the FIBA Africa Club Champions Cup for Men.

Nigeria’s other representatives; Ebun Comets failed to show up for the qualifiers due to lack of funds.

However, the developmental programe of the federation may have fared better in the past year, as spirited efforts of Masai Ujuri, Olumide Oyedeji and Nestle Milo kept the kids going.

Thanks to Olumide Oyedeji annual camp for kids and Masai’s Big Man Camp which ensured that the kids brushed up their knowledge of the game in the year 2007.

Even though, Nestle disappointed the kids for not holding its annual Milo Basketball Kiddies Clinic in 2007, the little efforts in sustaining the Milo Secondary School Basketball Championship were worth commendable.

What do we expect in the New Year? Of course, it is our fervent prayers that the much awaited sponsor, as it has been rumoured within the federation will bring an end to the lull in our domestic league.

The major challenges that will confront the NBBF in the New Year include immediate commencement of the 2008/2009 domestic league and collective efforts at resuscitating the developmental programes of the federation.

However, the only success story of the federation is perhaps the staging of the Zenith Bank Elite 8 Female Premier League, even as the competition needs more time to mature.

In conclusion 2007 has gone with its basket of woes for NBBF and its empty promises, while lovers of the game welcome 2008 with a renewed hope for basketball.

By Oliver Albert

Teams eligible to compete in this year's edition of the Super Cup basketball championship have been announced.
Kili RBA league coordinator Manase Zablon said yesterday that Super Cup teams as title holders JKT, Savio, Vijana 'City Bulls,' Chang'ombe Boys, ABC and Chui.
The teams qualified to compete in the event after finishing within six positions of the current Kili RBA league standings now at the semi finals stage.
The Super Cup event will be staged early next month at the National Indoor Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
Super Cup berth contest failures include Tanzania Prisons, UDSM Outsiders and Oilers.
RBA Kili league semi finals are set for Saturday and the final on Sunday. JKT meet ABC while Vijana 'City Bulls' play Savio in the other clash.
The basketball championships are sponsored by Tanzania Breweries under the Kilimanjaro beer banner.

Smouha beat Zamalek 89-80 in a big surprize at the begining of the Egyptian league.
-Alahly beat Gazco 69-48 in an easy game for Alahly and Tarek elGhannam return to play after his injury in Zamalek match at the final of Cairo and Giza zone champion also Mody ElGarhy , Eslam Aly and Ibrahim elGamal not play because of their Injured.
-Itthad beat Shourta 83-78.

The new basket ball season have started in the country by two provinces the center with the super cup won by Friendship for the youth Phi Slama Jama for the girls and Condors for the Mens. In the littoral province the opening tournament of the season was played and won by Ecole de Basket for the youth ,Mac Force for the womens and Free Basket for the mens.

by Suleiman Jongo

JKT team yesterday outsmarted the University of Dar es Salaam Outsiders by 96-67 points to win a semi final berth against ABC in the ongoing Dar es Salaam Regional Basketball (RBA) Kili championship at the National Indoor Stadium.

Other two teams that qualified for the semi final stages were holders Savio and Vijana expected to clash on Saturday according to the championship's coordinator Zablon Manase.

While Savio breezed past Chang'ombe Boys by 71-64 points, Vijana triumphed over Prisons on a 74-40 points margin.

During yesterday's first quarter final tie, towering JKT's Charles Makene posted 26 points and took nine rebounds with superb double turnovers to emerge top scorer of the tense quarterfinal clash.

JKT dominated the match for most of the entire first half, taking a 56-31 points lead as the third quarter resumed.

JKT players were at their best with dazzling moves holding their opponents to disarray.Dar Outsiders' Frank Kusiga had 14 points to his credit, polished by two assists and seven steals while committing four fouls.
The losers stepped up their game in the final quarter with an impressive show but time was unfriendly to them, snatching an 18-17 points margin win.
Despite losing the match, Dar Outsiders' player John Tungaraza was a constant menace to JKT defenders, netting 20 points polished by three defensive rebounds.

In the other quart final between holders Savio and Chang'ombe Boys, the winner took the opening quarter with 19-12 lead and increased the tally to 35-24 by the half time mark.

During the Vijana-Prisons quarter final tie, Vijana dictated terms right from the beginning, to post 34-14 points margin up to half time.
Vijana were too strong for Prisons as they also dominated the third and final quarters, with Mohamed Ally scoring 23 points and John Mcharo had eight to his credit.The only player from Prisons who at least sparked was Alex George who managed nine points, sending a few ripples on the winners' defence.
The last quarter final pairing brought together Army Basketball Club (ABC) trounced Chui by 62-51 points to sail into Saturday's semis.

Zablon said the semifinal and final matches will be played on Saturday and Sunday (respectively) at the National Indoor Stadium.

The league is organized by Basketball Dar es Salaam under sponsorship of Tanzania Breweries under the Kilimanjaro beer banner.