Nhlanhla Mbele
BULAWAYO’S warriors claimed first position after attesting to be a better force to reckon with in the 3×3 Basketball national finals that were played in Gweru on 2 November.
Ten teams from the country’s provinces took part in the games.
These teams included Warriors, Cousins, Vegas, Airforce Falcons and Chaplin High School who were battling it out in the boys’ category.
Cousins, Plumtree High School, Attack, and Wild Cats fought for the top honours in the girls’ discipline.
Topping the points table with five wins out of five games and recording 64 points in total in the boys’ category, the Warriors booked a ticket to the IBF 3×3 Young Lions Cup championships that will be held in Botswana from 28 November to 2 December.
Cousins from Harare also emerged victorious in the event from the girls’ side, grabbing the opportunity of representing the country in the championships.
Basketball Union of Zimbabwe (BUZ) competitions president Yesaya Ignatious said the games were thrilling and the Gweru residents were kept on their feet the whole tournament.
“It was pleasing to have teams all the way from Mutare and Plumtree participating. Now it’s the 3rd edition of the IBF 3×3 Young Lions Cup and it has a different setup from the previous editions as there is more to just winning medals and trophies.
“IBF has brought a new component to the games, where we would like to bring the youth from different countries together to enable a better understanding of different cultures, backgrounds and basketball philosophies, in other words, trying to develop a better youth for the society through Basketball,” said Ignatious.
Zimbabwe Under-18 boys and girls are two-time champions in the 3×3 Young Lions Cup in Southern Africa and they will be hoping to defend their titles in this year’s edition.
“I am confident that the boys and girls will excel in showcasing their talent and ultimately achieving their collective goals. Last edition Zimbabwe scooped the Most Valuable Player Awards in both categories, I hope the awards will again go to either of them this time around,” added Ignatious.
