Basketball in Africa

AS the Inter-Regional Basketball Championship, dubbed 'Taifa Cup,' throws off in Dodoma today, Temeke Municipal team leaves this morning eager to win the title.
Dar es Salaam was supposed to field three teams - Temeke, Ilala and Kinondoni - but the other two have pulled out due to financial constraints.
Temeke's contingent of 12 players drawn from JKT, Chang'ombe and Kurasini and an official received a major boost from several stakeholders.
The team is under captain Franklin Simkoko. Among them is the Chief of Defence Forces, General Davis Mwamunyange and National Service (JKT) Chief, Major General Raphael Muhuga, who have both provided transport to and from Dodoma and will foot accommodation bills.
The team's patron Phares Magesa, a CCM National Executive Committee (NEC) member and former TBF Vice-President, donated over 1m/- and offered to pay for the team's meals. Magesa had on Saturday given the Tanzania Basketball Federation (TBF) two big trophies worth 600,000/- to be presented to the men and women's winners.
Speaking at a brief presentation ceremony in Dar es Salaam, he urged other stakeholders to support the tournament which is an important platform for unearthing talents and grooming them into future stars. "We expect you will do your best to come back with the title.
I know you have the ability to excel in Dodoma and make the region proud," Magesa said. "I also urge public and private institutions to assist regional teams so that they can participate in this crucial tournament.
But let's not forget TBF that needs our support in facilitating the event that brings together basketball players from across the country," he added.
TBF requires over 58m/- to stage the week-long annual tournament to be held at the Jamhuri Stadium and Dodoma Secondary School court.
TBF Secretary General Saleh Zonga commended Magesa for the donation, saying it is high time other stakeholders emulate him as the tournament has failed to secure sponsorship.
The tournament was initially scheduled to start yesterday but due to unavoidable circumstances it was pushed back for a day and most teams are already in Dodoma ready for the opening ceremony.
Zonga said 17 regions had by yesterday confirmed participation in the event.
They are Tanga, Coast, Arusha, Mwanza, Mbeya, Ruvuma, Katavi, Temeke, Iringa, Kilimanjaro, Tabora, Shinyanga, Rukwa, Mara, Kagera, Kigoma and hosts Dodoma. Tanga and Dar es Salaam are the defending men and women's champions respectively.