UB Relics to host All-Star showdown - Aug 11, 2011 (by Thomas Fink)
NELSON DIRENG
Correspondent
Two star-studded teams, selected by fans and coaches are set to clash in a basketball tournament aptly termed All-Star Weekend scheduled for August 19-20.
University of Botswana side, Relics has organised the tournament to take place at the UB courts. Fans chose their team, Fans' Favourite through a Facebook page titled Clubs' Player of the Year 2011 [read more]
NELSON DIRENG Correspondent
Two star-studded teams, selected by fans and coaches are set to clash in a basketball tournament aptly termed All-Star Weekend scheduled for August 19-20.
University of Botswana side, Relics has organised the tournament to take place at the UB courts. Fans chose their team, Fans' Favourite through a Facebook page titled Clubs' Player of the Year 2011.
The other team, the Coaches' Choice comprised players handpicked by coaches and team managers based on performances in the first round of the nation league that ended last month.
Relics chairperson Thandi Tumelo said the event would be the first of its kind locally. She expects a large turnout of spectators, as two teams consisting of select players from 13 male league clubs will be competing. The All Star showdown takes place on August 20 as the main attraction, while a curtain raiser, expected to be a game among interested spectators, would be played on August 19.
Tumelo said the purpose of the tournament is to showcase basketball to the UB community. She said Relics found it necessary to promote basketball as most league games are played at the UB courts.
She said Relics also want to provide some entertainment for UB students who have limited recreational activities within the campus. She however said the competition is not limited to UB students but to anyone interested.
'Participation is free but those who are lucky stand a chance of walking away with P1,000 or more from the various competitions that will be held,' she said.
Some of the competitions include ankle breakers, shootouts and street-ball. Tumelo said they have decided to incorporate hip-hop music to the show as basketball and hip-hop have a strong history.
She said the other purpose of the festival is to keep BBA league players active and fit during the mid-season break. Meanwhile, Relics have partnered with the Youth Against AIDS, Clubs Entertainment Basketball and Beemark Sports Gear to sponsor the event.
Tumelo said in future they would like some sponsors to jump on board as the event offers a platform to reach out to the youth.
Teams Fans Favourite: Mbaki Pitso, Michael Banda, Mothusi Phokoje (Troopers), Peter Bashe, Keletso Makgethe, James Kalebwe (Police), Tony Akpata (NIIT), Thuto Shai (Dolphins), Chinouya Chinouya, Brian Mwansa (Flames), Peter Ubakar (Spartans), Israel Mphato (BDF).
Coaches Choice: Robert 'Bendo' Mosalakatane, Clive Phiri (Spartans), Mmoloki Segaetsho, Veil Mchunu (Flames), Ratanang Tsayang (Troopers), Churchill Burrows (Dolphins), Junior Kaiser (Bullets), Oscar Gobusamang (Police), Ketlwaelo Rahube (Drillers), Mpho Seretse (Splinters), David Adom (Cadets) and Collen Semele (Eagles).
Spartans lead at halfway stage - Jul 11, 2011 (by Thomas Fink)
NELSON DIRENG
Correspondent 8/7/2011 Mmegi
Spartans will conclude the first round of the basketball league as leaders after losing only one match in 11 outings. The league will break after this weekend's games but Spartans are assured of the leadership ahead of the second round which begins at the end of August. Defending champions, Troopers who have 19 points, two behind Spartans, are second [read more]
NELSON DIRENG Correspondent 8/7/2011 Mmegi
Spartans will conclude the first round of the basketball league as leaders after losing only one match in 11 outings. The league will break after this weekend's games but Spartans are assured of the leadership ahead of the second round which begins at the end of August. Defending champions, Troopers who have 19 points, two behind Spartans, are second. However, Troopers, who ended last season's first round unbeaten might slide to third if Police win their three outstanding fixtures this weekend.
Police are seventh with 14 points after playing eight games and losing only two. The basketball league committee chairman, Kabo Khama said there are signs of improvement from a number of clubs. He said it is difficult to tell who will walk away with the title at the end of the season. He asserted that underdogs, Flames have performed beyond expectation, exchanging the number one position with Troopers, before being pushed to third a few weeks ago.
Khama said debutants, Dolphins have made their presence felt although they struggled to maintain their momentum towards the end of the first round. 'The team is quite young and inexperienced and this can be seen in the way they struggle to maintain the tempo in a game,' he said. However, he advised another debutant, Bullets to work hard on their skills level. He said the team is clearly struggling as it has only won twice in 11 outings.
'The basketball transfer window starts immediately after the first round and it would be best if they secured one or two experienced players,' he said. Khama said seasoned campaigners such as Eagles who anchor the log and Splinters have been disappointing. Last season, Splinters who are currently eighth finished the league fourth while Eagles were sixth. Khama said Splinters might be struggling after losing a couple of good players to Flames at the start of the season.
Former champions, BDF V have not hit the right cord and are placed fourth. Meanwhile, the BDF V womens team is the only unbeaten side this season. They have won all five first round games and accumulated 10 points. Defending champions, Police V are third with one loss with a game in hand before the end of the first round. Debutants, Panthers are second and have lost two of their five games. The other newcomers, Relics and Splinters occupy the last two places respectively.
Weekend fixtures (University of Botswana Courts)
Today (men) Police vs Dolphins - 6pm
Tomorrow (men) Cadets vs Splinters - 12noon Eagles vs Dolphins - 2pm
Tomorrow (women) Police vs Splinters - 10am Splinters vs Relics - 4pm
Shortage of match officials haunts basketball - Jul 8, 2011 (by Thomas Fink)
NELSON DIRENG
Correspondent Thursday 7/7/2011
The shortage of professional referees and table officials continues to haunt the basketball league amid reports that players are unhappy with the level of officiating. The league chairman, Kabo Khama said there are only 10 professional referees in the country. The shortage has forced the association to use inexperienced referees [read more]
NELSON DIRENG Correspondent Thursday 7/7/2011
The shortage of professional referees and table officials continues to haunt the basketball league amid reports that players are unhappy with the level of officiating. The league chairman, Kabo Khama said there are only 10 professional referees in the country. The shortage has forced the association to use inexperienced referees. Khama is optimistic that with time, the situation will improve as there are currently many youngsters that are being groomed by professional referees.
He explained that they have organised fixtures in such a way that an inexperienced referee officiates with a seasoned one. Khama expressed disappointment with certain clubs, which fail to provide two officials per match as stipulated. This year, the BBA held a well-attended referees' clinic just before the league commenced. Unlike last year when the clinic was coordinated by locals, the BBA invited a trainer from the International Basketball Federation (FIBA).
Khama said they will host another referees' clinic after the first round of the league. He stated that the BBA is in the process of teaching table officials and referees ways of using the recently introduced 24-second short clock. Under the system, the referee has to alert the table official to reset the clock every 24 seconds of the game. The new system has caused a lot of confusion during games. Besides officiating problems, the league is suffering because of failure by clubs to honour fixtures.
Recently, Drillers were kicked out of the league for missing games. The BBA did not fine the club because the league is not sponsored. 'We cannot implement the fine that we introduced in our constitution two years ago because the league is not sponsored,' Khama said. He stated that BBA are sourcing sponsorship for the league and hopefully next season, they will have a financier. 'Having a sponsor would definitely improve the standard of the league as people would be playing for incentives,' he said.
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