No postponement to Afrobasket tourney

Thato Kala | Thursday January 29, 2015 14:12

 

The seven-day qualifiers were postponed to this month last December and then moved again to next month with fears that it could clash with another FIBA engagement.

The initial date was November 20 last year, but it clashed with the Africa Club Championships in Mozambique and had to be moved to January 17 before the new dates February 21 to 28.

However, the host association’s president Addison Chiware told Mmegi Sport they would not postpone the week-long tournament again because of a one-day event.

He was referring to a game between Botswana and Swaziland in Gaborone, which falls on one of the tournament days.

“That will not happen. This is a seven-day tournament that we are hosting and it will not be moved again because of a one-day event. We are still on with the preparations and we are well on course,” Chiware told Mmegi Sport.

Bulawayo Metropolitan Province will host the Afro-basketball and All-Africa Games qualifiers at the Trade Fair.

The qualifiers are set to feature five southern African region countries at Zimbabwe International Trade Fair next month.

Botswana will compete against the hosts Zimbabwe, South Africa, Zambia and Angola as they seek a slot for the Afro-basketball Championships to be co-hosted by Tunisia and Cameroon while the All-Africa Games will be held in Congo-Brazzaville later this year.

The games will also be used as a rehearsal for the Region V Games.

Botswana, the hosts and South Africa will battle for supremacy with powerhouses Mozambique and Angola in the women’s section.

The men’s teams include Zambia, South Africa, and Mozambique while Angola will only compete in the All-Africa Games qualifiers.

Meanwhile, Botswana continues with preparations with a provisional squad still training at the BNYC in Gaborone. The final squad will be named shortly before departure for Zimbabwe.

Only two teams will qualify for the Afro Basket and the All Africa Games next year.