Mozambique basketball tie postponed
Thato Kala | Tuesday February 3, 2015 12:19
The postponement gives the national team more time to prepare for their illustrious opponents. Their path to qualification has even been made easier by Swaziland’s pulling out of the competition.
This leaves Botswana and Mozambique to battle out for the only spot over a two-legged clash. Tunisia will host the Afro-Basketball women competition while Cameroon will stage the men’s event.
The dates for the tournament are yet to be announced. The winners will directly qualify for Rio 2016 Olympics.
The presence of Geche, a Flames player back home, will certainly make a difference for Botswana. The star point guard recently moved to China where he plays for his college and is also studying.
There was uncertainty around the talented point guard’s coming for the opening qualifier until the Botswana Basketball Association (BBA) got confirmation last week.
BBA public relations officer, James Kalebwe confirmed the development to Mmegi Sport. “The mood in both camps is very positive and we have no serious injuries. The coaches have selected the 12 players they wanted and Karabo Geche Reinhard, who is based in China, will be joining the squad,” Kalebwe said. Kalebwe said the coaches have faith in the China-based star, who represented Flames last season. He was one of Flames’ outstanding players in the first half of the League last season and his inclusion in the squad comes as no surprise.
“He is still active in China where he plays for his college,” he said.
However, the national team coaches may have to do without Ofentse Churchill Barrows, who is scheduled to leave for Malta on Thursday for a two-month stint.
Barrows, Botswana’s well-traveled basketball star, is an important member of the national team, having risen through the country’s junior ranks. He has had stints in Zimbabwe, United States of America (USA) and had two trial stints in Angola, Africa’s top basketball nation. After the Maputo tie, the national will host Mozambique in Gaborone as FIBA try out a new format in which teams will play each other on a home and away basis.
Meanwhile, the ladies continue training and will be cut to a final 12 next weekend.
The women’s team travels to Bulawayo, Zimbabwe on February 20.
The qualifiers run from February 21 to 28 after the Basketball Union of Zimbabwe (BUZ) this week vowed ‘unless some supervening impossibility occurs there is no postponement’.
There were fears the tournament will be pushed forward again, but BUZ say all is on course for the tournament to take place.