Basketball in Africa

The national men's basketball team has been invited to take part in a four-nation invitational tournament in Johannesburg, South Africa from March 18-22. Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) Secretary General Vitalis Gode has confirmed they will be honouring the invite.
Already, Co-operative Bank tactician Carey Odhiambo has been handed the coaching job and has said key changes will be effected.
“We will work mostly with young players but still have some of the ones who did duty last time in Uganda. There must be good transition so we cannot overhaul the team completely,” he said.
Departure date has been tentatively set for March 17 and Kenya will face off with Nigeria, Mozambique and host South Africa in a round-robin format.
Meanwhile, KBF has released fixtures for the first half of the 2015 national classic league that gets underway in a fortnight.
Basketball league starts 
In the opening round of play on March 14-15, men premier league champions Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) begins their campaign with a home tie against Equity Bank while runners-up Ulinzi Warriors will play United States International University- Africa (USIU-A).
Newcomers Umoja will start life in the top league with an away fixture against Nakuru Club while Strathmore University plays Thunder and Lions will be up against Terror.
Equity Bank and Kisumu Lady Bucks are the new women premier league teams and will start their campaign against runners-up teams from last season’s campaign.
Equity begins away in Mombasa against KPA who finished second. The bankers are tipped to become a formidable force owing to the pedigree of their squad assemblage.
Head coach David Maina has his target set.
“We will be looking to make it to the playoffs. A qualification to the last four will definitely be a plus for my team.”
Kisumu Lady Bucks start at home to third-placed team in 2014 Co-operative Bank. Champions USIU-A will play Ulinzi Blades, Eagle Wings tackles Kenyatta University Oryx while Western Delight host Co-op Bank.
In division one, Blazers who were relegated from the premier league last season begins their campaign in the second-tier league against Don Bosco.
KBF Opening Fixtures: March 14- Baraka X-treme vs World Hope (Thika, 10am), MKU Thika vs Parklands Baptist (11:30), Eldonets vs Lakeside (UG, 10am), KPA Ladies vs Equity Bank (KPA, 2pm), KPA Men vs Equity Bank (4pm), Nakuru Club vs Umoja (MHS, 11am), EMYBA vs Trailblazers (Nyayo gymnasium, 9am), Blazers vs Don Bosco (10:30), Eagle Wings vs KU Oryx (12pm), Strathmore University vs Thunder (2pm), Lions vs Terror (4pm), Western Delight vs Co-op Bank (KPC, 10am); March 15- Kisumu Lady Bucks vs Co-op Bank (KSG, 11am), ANU vs Barclays Bank (9am, Nyayo gymnasium), Upper Hill vs IAT-Little Prince (10:30am), Dankind Academy vs 4-Christ (12pm), USIU Flames vs Ulinzi Blades (2pm), USIU Tigers vs Ulinzi Warriors.