Basketball in Africa

Zaina Malongo
The Citizen Correspondent

Dar es Salaam. The Tanzania Basketball Federation (TBF) has embarked on picking the gifted youth, a move meant to form a formidable national team for the Zone V tourney planned for Kigali, Rwanda early next month.
Speaking in Dar es Salaam yesterday, TBF chairman Phares Magesa said the federation was content with the level of basketball standard in the country and expressed optimism to sparkle in the forthcoming event.
Magesa said the TBF plans to select a provisional squad comprising youthful players, who would later be trimmed before departing to the Rwandan capital.
“We want our presence to be felt in the Zone V tournament that’s why we looking for the most brilliant young players in the country.
“Our rivals have started shaping up for the tournament, but considering the standard displayed by our youngsters, I’m confident that we’ll have the squad to reckon with,” he observed.

The official said after hosting two clinics conducted by Memphis Grizzlies shot-blocker Hasheem Thabeet and former NBA star Steve Smith, the number of youngsters interested in playing basketball has shot up tremendously.“We are proud of the clinics we hosted last year, they unearthed many gifted players and we’re looking forward to integrating most of them in the squad for the Kigali event,” he said.

According to him, the federation would unveil names of the national coaches plus the head of delegation today.