Basketball in Africa

ZANZIBAR champions Stone Town succumbed to a 89-90 defeat at the hands of Rangers in a thrilling Unguja Zone Basketball League encounter at the Maisara courts here on Monday evening.
The result means Rangers moved top of the table on ten points. It was a close start to the contest, in which Rangers took a 25-14 lead at the end of the first quarter. Ranger's confidence soared as the game went on and extended their advantage to 47-38 points by half time.
At the third quarter, the Rangers' surge was put to a check as Stone Town threw everything up front which saw them managing to close the gap to a mere five points, and it ended 68-63 in favour of Rangers.
It only forced to a seesaw final quarter as Stone Town stretched their opponents to the limit as they game kept swinging from side to side. In the end, Rangers managed to hold on to the challenge and completed a deserved 90-89 victory The league was set to continue yesterday with two matches on the card.
The first match was set to pit Nyuki and Africa Magic, while Mwembetanga were to clash against Mbuyuni. Meanwhile, the Zanzibar Football Association (ZFA) mini election scheduled for next month has attracted an isles-based journalist.
Munir Zakaria, working for Channel Ten, has underlined his desire to contest the ZFA president post, which was left vacant following the resignation of Amani Ibrahim Makungu early this year.