The Zambia Basketball Association national championships draws are ready and qualified teams are expected to converge at the National Sports Development Centre in Lusaka this weekend.
In the draws defending champions Hetro Bullets have a tough pick in Lusaka City Council Looters. Bullets are also northern zone men's league champions while Looters finished third in the southern zone.
The Zambia Basketball Association national championships draws are ready and qualified teams are expected to converge at the National Sports Development Centre in Lusaka this weekend.
In the draws defending champions Hetro Bullets have a tough pick in Lusaka City Council Looters. Bullets are also northern zone men's league champions while Looters finished third in the southern zone.
Women's defending champions Green Buffaloes play UNZA Honeys a side they met and beat four times this season. Buffaloes qualified as southern zone league champions for the third consecutive year. Unfortunately only two women clubs from the Northern zone will take part hence all southern zone based clubs qualify to the national championships.
National Pension Scheme Authority Hurricanes who struggled to finish second in the midlands league face Kitwe's Lechwe Steel.
Sprite Champions Green Eagles draw Ndola's First Quantum Mining Minerals Nets a side they beat 95 - 94 at the same stage of the competition last year.
Women's new league entrants Rim Oilers face southern zone league runners up Breakthrough Sports Academy Shells while Copperbelt Energy Corporation Queens will play the Nets of Lusaka.
There are no sponsors for this tournament which was until last year sponsored by the Zambia Dairy Processors Association. However, ZBA will award deserving teams from its own resources should no sponsor come on board.
The programme is as follows:
SATURDAY 8th DECEMBER
09.00 hrs: Technical Meeting
09.00 hrs: BSA Shells Vs Rim Oilers (Women)
11.00 hrs: Heroes Play Utd Vs Muf.Orginal Magnets (Men)
13.00 hrs: CEC Queens Vs Nets (Women)
15.00 hrs: NAPSA Hurricanes Vs Lechwe Steel (Men)
17.00hrs: Hetro Bullets Vs LCC Looters (Men)
SUNDAY 9th DECEMEBR
10.30hrs: Green Buffaloes Vs UNZA Honeys (Women)
12.30 hrs: LCC Looteresses Vs Ndola Woosters (Women)
14.30 hrs: Green Eagles Vs FQMM Nets (Men)
The semi finals will be played on Saturday 15 December as follows:-
09.00 hrs: 1st semi - final (Women)
12.00 hrs: 1st semi - final (Men)
14.00 hrs: 2nd Semi - final (Women)
16.00 hrs: 2nd Semi - final (Men)
Championship matches take place on Sunday 16 December.
ZAMBIA basketball coach, Lovemore ‘Potterfield' Sikaale, has devised a weekly training schedule that will see the Midlands and Copperbelt based players go through their paces twice during the week in their respective regions before linking up on weekends.
ZAMBIA basketball coach, Lovemore ‘Potterfield' Sikaale, has devised a weekly training schedule that will see the Midlands and Copperbelt based players go through their paces twice during the week in their respective regions before linking up on weekends. Sikaale said the squad preparing for the Zone Six championships in Harare, Zimbabwe had the advantage of having the three coaches attached to it coming from the two different regions. Johnny Zimba of Napsa Hurricanes and his UNZA Pacers counterpart Curthbert Tembo would drill the Midlands based players while Sikaale takes care of the Copperbelt legion at the Zamsure Sports Complex in Ndola. He said the technical bench had tailored a heavy training schedule in order to help the players recoup their match fitness following their rusty showing during the first session held at Barclays Sports Complex last weekend. “We want to get a lot from these boys. We want everyone to work hard for the team, that is why we are keeping the players busy throughout. Basketball is about fitness, so we are going for nothing less than that,” he said. The outspoken Hetro Bullets mentor, however, said despite the players only regrouping last weekend for the first session, their response has been overwhelming with all the players fighting for few places in the squad. Sikaale said the coaching bench would not be looking elsewhere for players to beef-up the squad given the seriousness being exhibited by the provisional squad that is already in camp. The national coach hinted that clubs from both the Midlands and Copperbelt regions would be contacted for friendly matches to prepare the team adequately between now and the time of departure for Zimbabwe. “This is the time we need to fully utilise the good rapport that exists among clubs in our local league structure. Most of the clubs have contributed players to the national teams and I am sure we won't find it difficult arranging warm-up games,” he said. Sikaale, who is Zambia Basketball Association (ZBA) national coordinator, paid glowing tribute to his predecessor at the helm of the team, Brian Nsama, who has since been penciled in to attend a refresher course some time this year. Zambia will be participating at the Zone Six championship in Harare with the hope of doing well and earn a berth to the All-Africa Games scheduled for Algiers, Algeria later this year. The team is also in contention for a place at the Africa Cup championship slated for Angola as the busy 2007 basketball calendar kicks off with the regional show down in Zimbabwe next month.
By PATRICK CHIBUTA
ZIMBABWE 71:ZAMBIA 59
NOT even the roar of a home crowd could save the Zambian men's team that allowed Zimbabwe to inflict one of their worst defeats in recent years.
Not that Zambia lacked the players. If anything, the Zambian side had players who could take on any side in the sub region - save for African champions Angola perhaps - and come out on top.
By PATRICK CHIBUTA
ZIMBABWE 71:ZAMBIA 59 NOT even the roar of a home crowd could save the Zambian men's team that allowed Zimbabwe to inflict one of their worst defeats in recent years.
Not that Zambia lacked the players. If anything, the Zambian side had players who could take on any side in the sub region - save for African champions Angola perhaps - and come out on top.
What the Zambian side lacked was a game plan and the Zimbabweans had the sense to take advantage and become overall winners of the two-day international tournament that also featured Botswana.
The women's version had four teams - Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Lupopo, a club side from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Zambian coach Brian Nsama started with Sizi Kuntepa as point guard, Mulenga Mumba, Malindi Chipili, Webby Sikuka and Boniface Kabongo. The Zimbabweans had Allen Tekunde, Royce Takaendesa, Tafirenyika Muchende, Eric Banda and Farai Towirare. Zimbabwe had a 20-12 lead in the first quarter and a strong second quarter showing saw them take a 44-28 lead. Although Zambia tried to make amends in the third period, they found the going tough as Zimbabwe played a tight zone defence. Zambia needed to use more shooting guards to open up the defence but the coaching bench opted to keep them on the team bench.
In the women's edition. Lupopo rounded up their weekend tour with a runaway 104-34 victory over Botswana, the tournament's whipping girls.
The Zimbabwe women's side finished second after seeing off Zambia via a 84-63 scoreline.
The Four Nations Basketball championships kicked off in Lusaka, Friday with hosts Zambia Women national squad going down 61-42 to Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in the opening match of the three day event.
The tournament being hosted at Lusaka's National Sports Development Centre has attracted four men and women national teams from hosts Zambia, Botswana, DRC and Zimbabwe.
The Four Nations Basketball championships kicked off in Lusaka, Friday with hosts Zambia Women national squad going down 61-42 to Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in the opening match of the three day event.
The tournament being hosted at Lusaka's National Sports Development Centre has attracted four men and women national teams from hosts Zambia, Botswana, DRC and Zimbabwe. In Saturday's first game, Zimbabwe beat Botswana 61-38 following a tight but explosive encounter. Speaking after the match, Zimbabwe female captain Abigail Gondo said the game was tough although her team managed to win. Gondo said the Tswanas have improved their Basketball skills in recent years coupled with a tremendous pace on counter attacks. And ZAMBIA Basketball Association Vice president Major Richard Chilangwa said the tournament will help the technical staff gauge players ahead of an international event in February next year.
The last games, Sunday will see Zambian men and women facing their Zimbabwe counterparts while Botswana female squad will take on DRC.
INTERNTIONAL FRIENDLY
VENUE: NATIONAL SPORTS DEVELOPMENT CENTRE – LUSAKA
In preparation for the Zone Six – All Africa Games and Senior Africa Cup qualifiers
PROGRAMME
FRIDAY 8 DECEMBER
18.00 hours Zambia Vs Lupopo Basketball Club (DRC) Women
SATURDAY 10 DECEMBER
10.00 hours Botswana Vs Zimbabwe Women
12.00 hours Zambia Vs Botswana Women
14.
INTERNTIONAL FRIENDLY
VENUE: NATIONAL SPORTS DEVELOPMENT CENTRE - LUSAKA
In preparation for the Zone Six - All Africa Games and Senior Africa Cup qualifiers
PROGRAMME
FRIDAY 8 DECEMBER
18.00 hours Zambia Vs Lupopo Basketball Club (DRC) Women
Standings of the two zones of Zambia Championship, men and women
LEAGUE STANDINGS AS AT 13 NOVEMBER,2006
SOUTHERN ZONE
MASCULINE DIVISION
P W L F A PTS
NAPSA Hurricanes 20 17 3 1413 1149 37
NewspaperDirect Heroes 20 15 5 1392 1113 35
Green Eagles 19 15 4 1519 1125 34
LCC Looters 20 12 7 1349 1143 32
UNZA Pacers 19 12 7 1302 1114 31
Barclays
Standings of the two zones of Zambia Championship, men and women
LEAGUE STANDINGS AS AT 13 NOVEMBER,2006
SOUTHERN ZONE
MASCULINE DIVISION
P W L F A PTS NAPSA Hurricanes 20 17 3 1413 1149 37
Arthur Zulu, a 6'8'' native of Zambia , has verbally committed to Sam Houston State after an official visit. The power forward has gained 20 pounds in the off season and should be more productive this year at Jacksonville College in Texas.
Arthur Zulu, a 6'8'' native of Zambia , has verbally committed to Sam Houston State after an official visit. The power forward has gained 20 pounds in the off season and should be more productive this year at Jacksonville College in Texas.
