09 March 2010
BOTSWANA : Basketball team prepares for African championship qualifiers
Botswana Basketball Association is preparing for Under 18 African championship qualifiers billed for Zimbabwe.
A spokesperson for the organisation, Mothusi Thipe, said Under 18 boys and girls teams have already reported for camp in Gaborone and will take part in the games billed for April 24 - May 1.
We have 18 girls and boys but they will be scaled down to 12 on each side, he said.
The team will lock horns with Zone 6 countries including Angola and Mozambique which are currently regarded as the continental heavy weights.
Top two teams in this tournament will proceed to the continental showpiece scheduled for Egypt towards end of this year.
Angolan boys and Mozambican girls teams have already qualified for the African championship as the defending champions.
Previous records show that the two countries have proved to be a thorn for the local side although Botswana has done well in the Zone 6 tournaments.
Thipe said both boys and girls teams did well last year in BISA tournament in Swaziland where they brought home silver medals.
Although we have a challenge of having a pool of players to select from, we have tried to overcome that by building on the team that brought silver from BISA games in Swaziland, he said adding that many players come from the central region secondary schools.
Both teams are under tough training under the mentorship of Cuban Roberto Richard.
We will announce the coaches but currently Mr Richard is in charge, This time around we want to put our foot down, we are eyeing the second position, he said.
A spokesperson for the organisation, Mothusi Thipe, said Under 18 boys and girls teams have already reported for camp in Gaborone and will take part in the games billed for April 24 - May 1.
We have 18 girls and boys but they will be scaled down to 12 on each side, he said.
The team will lock horns with Zone 6 countries including Angola and Mozambique which are currently regarded as the continental heavy weights.
Top two teams in this tournament will proceed to the continental showpiece scheduled for Egypt towards end of this year.
Angolan boys and Mozambican girls teams have already qualified for the African championship as the defending champions.
Previous records show that the two countries have proved to be a thorn for the local side although Botswana has done well in the Zone 6 tournaments.
Thipe said both boys and girls teams did well last year in BISA tournament in Swaziland where they brought home silver medals.
Although we have a challenge of having a pool of players to select from, we have tried to overcome that by building on the team that brought silver from BISA games in Swaziland, he said adding that many players come from the central region secondary schools.
Both teams are under tough training under the mentorship of Cuban Roberto Richard.
We will announce the coaches but currently Mr Richard is in charge, This time around we want to put our foot down, we are eyeing the second position, he said.
# posted by afrbk : 15:09
