Basketball in Africa

By Suleiman Jongo

Basketball Dar es Salaam (BD) will award winners of the recently ended Regional Basketball Association (RBA) Kili League today.

The winners will receive the prizes at a brief ceremony that will take place at a hotel in Dar es Salaam.

The BD issued a press statement apologising for the delay to handover the cash prizes to the winners. It said they were waiting for sponsors to hand over the cash prizes.

The Tanzania Breweries Limited (TBL) sponsored last season's tournament that reached its climax in March.

"The sponsors have already given us the cash we needed. Therefore we will hand it over to the respective winners," said BD public relations officer Michael Maluwe.

He said the association had already given out transport allowances to all participating teams.

The prizes are being given after months of complaints from the teams and individual players who won in various categories.

Apart from the cash prizes, Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner William Lukuvi, the chief guest, will present the champions with the trophy.

The winning teams include: the RBA champions (men) JKT, who will receive Sh3.5 million. Vijana (City Bulls) will walk away with Sh2 million and third placed Savio will get Sh1 million.

JKT ladies will also pocket Sh2 million as champions, Lady Lions Sh1 million while Jeshi Stars, who finished third, will get Sh500,000.

Other awards will go to the Most Valuable Player (MVP), Mohamed Yusuph of Savio, and best finalist Juma Kisoky of JKT.

In the women discipline, Asha Iddy of Cargo Stars emerged the MVP while the best finalist was Doritha Mbunda of JKT Stars.

Peter Samson of JKT Stars (women) and Tubet Matiku of JKT (men) will also receive cash prizes after emerging best coaches in the league.