Basketball in Africa

by Suleiman Jongo

The basketball league for Dar es Salaam-based secondary schools gets underway at the National Indoor Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Saturday.

The league is staged under the patronage of Basketball Dar es Salaam (BD) and sponsored by Uniliver Tanzania Ltd, said the body's spokesman, Michael Maluwe.

Besides staging the championship, BD is also scouting for budding talents who hold the future of Tanzania's basketball, he said. Taking part in the league would be Jangwani, Dar es Salaam, Benjamin Mkapa, Mzizima, Makongo, Ali Hassan Mwinyi, Loyola, Jitegemee and Ahmes girls secondary schools.
Others are Good Samaritan, Azania, Tegeta and Shaaban Robert. Loyola are the title holders for girls while Ali Hassan Mwinyi are for boys.
The Uniliver company has parted with Sh24 million in the sponsorship package to cater for prizes, kits for the teams and other running expenses of the tournament.
BD president Simon Msoffe expressed his sincere appreciation for the sponsorship which he said had come at the right moment.
He told Uniliver's marketing manager Charles Samwel that BD valued the sponsorship and the tournament would be named after the firm's margarine product of Blue Band. Samwel said their sponsorship aims at promoting basketball especially for budding players.
Two 14-inch television sets have been set aside for the most valuable players for both girls and boys. The best three-pointer players would be entitled to an oven.