Basketball in Africa

SOMALIA and Somaliland are the latest countries to confirm participation in the Zone Five East and Central Africa Inter Cities Championships planned for April in Nairobi, officials disclosed.

Inter Cities executive officer Agina Wesonga confirmed Mogadishu and Hargeisha City, the capital of Somaliland, will send their men's teams to the regional tournament that throws off April 19-23 at Nyayo Stadium. 'Yes we have already got their invitations and they are so much excited. We have already communicated and given them the go ahead to join the show. They are even ready to pay now. Their inclusion in this expanding championships will be a boost to the region,' said Agina. Mogadishu men's team took part in the Arusha event held in 2009 and will be making their second appearance.

Led by their chairman Hassan Abdalla, Hargeisha will be making their debut and have promised to be regulars there after. Agina said that the foreign teams will arrive on April 18. There will be a two-day clinic for all the referees who will be assigned to officiate in the championships. The whistlers are expected from all the participating countries. Nairobi will have four teams. Two from the Nairobi Basketball Association (NBA) League while the other two will come from the Kenya University Sports Association (KUSA) league. The KUSA league at Kenyatta University this weekend will be used to name the provisional squad that will represent varsities and colleges. Other cities are last year's hosts Mombasa, Kampala, Jinja, Dar-es-Salaam, Tanga, Arusha and Mwanza.
Courtesy of: Nairobi Star