27 October 2012
Tanzania: Dar Ready to Host Zone Five Basketball Meet
TANZANIA is ready to host more than 12 teams which have so far confirmed their participation in this year's Zone Five Basketball Championship to be staged in Dar es Salaam from December 15 to 22, this year.
Tanzania Basketball Federation (TBF), Vice-President, Phares Magesa said that preparations for the event are progressing well with host keeping on early training for their national sides.
Magesa named the teams which have confirmed to participate for the event as Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia, Djibouti, Egypt, Sudan and Southern Sudan.
He said a team of four local coaches has embarked on a scouting exercise for talented basketball players, who will form a men and women national team that will benefit the technical skills from the newly hired US coach Albert Sokaitis.
Magesa named the local coaches as Everist Mapunda (Pazi), Leonard Kwale (ABC), Agnella Semwaiko (Don Bosco Lioness) and Bahati Mgunda (Vijana). He said they have called in the services of a coach from the US, one of the world's best basketball playing nations, in efforts to turn around Tanzania's basketball fortunes.
The coach is expected in the country next week from where he will go straight to Tanga where the national championship, Taifa Cup will be staged to see the talents and skills.
"His first task will be to guide the national team the next edition of FIBA Zone Five Championship, which Tanzania will host in December with twelve African countries expected to compete in the championship," said Magesa. Sokaitis will be assisted by his compatriot Jocquis Sconiers to ensure that the host make it in December and effectively utilise the home ground advantage.
Tanzania Basketball Federation (TBF), Vice-President, Phares Magesa said that preparations for the event are progressing well with host keeping on early training for their national sides.
Magesa named the teams which have confirmed to participate for the event as Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia, Djibouti, Egypt, Sudan and Southern Sudan.
He said a team of four local coaches has embarked on a scouting exercise for talented basketball players, who will form a men and women national team that will benefit the technical skills from the newly hired US coach Albert Sokaitis.
Magesa named the local coaches as Everist Mapunda (Pazi), Leonard Kwale (ABC), Agnella Semwaiko (Don Bosco Lioness) and Bahati Mgunda (Vijana). He said they have called in the services of a coach from the US, one of the world's best basketball playing nations, in efforts to turn around Tanzania's basketball fortunes.
The coach is expected in the country next week from where he will go straight to Tanga where the national championship, Taifa Cup will be staged to see the talents and skills.
"His first task will be to guide the national team the next edition of FIBA Zone Five Championship, which Tanzania will host in December with twelve African countries expected to compete in the championship," said Magesa. Sokaitis will be assisted by his compatriot Jocquis Sconiers to ensure that the host make it in December and effectively utilise the home ground advantage.
# posted by afrbk : 11:30
