Basketball in Africa

THE Tanzania Basketball Federation (TBF) needs over 35 million/- for the national team's preparations for the All Africa Games and African Basketball Cup of Nations qualifiers.
TBF Secretary General Saleh Zonga disclosed to the 'Daily News' that the federation needs over 35m/- to prepare the two senior national teams -- men's and women's -- for the All Africa Games qualifiers to be held in Kampala, Uganda in September, this year.
"The amount is required to facilitate not only preparations for the All Africa Games but also the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers to be held simultaneously in Uganda," he said.
"We pledge to all sports stakeholders to support us in the preparations by sponsoring the teams in terms of training camp costs and participation in the two events," he added.
Popularly known as 2014 Afro-Basket Zone V qualifiers to be played in Uganda involve teams from East and Central African nations will determine two countries that will advance to the finals of the African Basketball Nations Cup, popularly known as the Afro- Basket.
Sixteen countries that are members of the African Basketball Federation will compete at the showpiece African basketball event. The 2015 All Africa Games will be in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo. This is an auspicious occasion for the All Africa Games because it will be its 50th anniversary.
The first Games were also held in Brazzaville back in 1965. Meanwhile, TBF President John Bandie and Zonga are expected to represent the Tanzania at the FIBA Africa and Zone V meetings to be held in Madagascar.
According to Zonga, Zone V meeting which will discuss the sport's development and problems will be held on July 29, preceding the two-day FIBA Africa meeting scheduled for July 30-31. In another development, the Zone V basketball championship is set for August 25-31 in Mombasa, Kenya.