Southern Africa establish SADC Basketball League

In a move which could change the face of basketball in the region, Southern Africa's basketball experts have established the SADC league. The league will among other things be responsible to formulate ways and means that will see the region's prowess in the sport improve. All but two SADC countries compete dismally when it comes to the continental and global class both at club and national team levels. Only Angola and Mozambique perform consistently decently when it comes to international tournaments. The SADC Basketball League has since appointed an executive led by veteran Zimbabwe sports administrator, Sunny Mbofana. Mbofana is the chairperson of Zimbabwe's most competitive men's and women's clubs, Harare City Hornets. He was once an administrator for Zimbabwe's Premier Soccer League side, Harare City, before he decided to resuscitate the basketball teams which were dead and buried. He said the SADC Basketball League will be a success. "Basketball in this region has played second fiddle to north and west African countries. That means we have always failed to do well when it comes to continental and global competitions. It is against this background that we have come up with this initiative," said Mbofana. "We have lacked the requisite technique, tactic and everything else to match other countries' prowess. Each time our best teams from this region have failed to compete at par with the rest of the continent and that has been a worrying trend on our part. "Of course, we have had teams from Angola and Mozambique doing quite decently but overall, we have been found wanting in several aspects of the game. This is the reason why, as a region, we have decided to come up with this idea. We have formed the SADC Basketball League.
"Indeed, a baby is born! The league is here and coming out of the need to feel the gap between the region and teams from northern and western Africa where the game is huge. This has come to fruition and as a result of very long discussions by different clubs/teams from the region. The idea is to bank on the experience coming in with members like Angola and Mozambique and help carry everyone with the wind." He said the league will be run in accordance with all authorities including the regional FIBA Afro. Main objectives of the SADC league is to help promote the development of the game in the region. It aims at getting officials from the region getting recognition on international appointments. The league will see the girl child participating at the highest level as well as help raise the bar for every member team/club and national teams from the region and compete at the highest level.
The league seeks to act as a precursor to Basketball Africa League (BAL) and help regional teams ready themselves for the big FIBA competitions. For the girl-child; the league becomes a platform to prepare for the FIBA Afro Club Championships
President : Sunny Mbofana (Zimbabwe)
President : Conrad Musonda (Zambia)
Secretary General : Lisungu Banda Moyo (Malawi)
Treasurer : James Kalebwe (Botswana)
Technical and Competitions : Andile Hlope
Marketing : Tshepo Malephane
Courtesy of: southerntimesafrica.com