Two-day basketball feast at ABC

Eight top basketball teams in the country have gathered at the African Bible College in Lilongwe for the national club championship organised by the basketball Association of Malawi (Basmal).

Basmal technical director Obed Mbudo Nyirongo said the club that comes top will be crowned national club champions.

The Central Region is being represented by ABC Lions, Mimbulu and Cougars. Magang’a, Bricks and Cobbe Barracks are representing the South while Nkhulande and Moyale are representing the Northern Region.

Last year’s champions Lox360, who beat Mimbulu in the finals are conspicuously missing from this year’s finals.

Nyirongo said Basmal is using the tournament to identify players for the Under-20 team that will travel to Zimbabwe for the Zone XI competition next year.

“The tournament is crucial to Basmal as we use it to identify players for national teams. We have an important tournament in Zimbabwe and we hope we will be able to spot potential national team players this week,” said Nyirongo.

He said Basmal has pumped K2.5 million into the two-day tournament, which started yesterday.

He thanked ABC management, in particular Paul Chinchen, for partnering Basmal to make the tournament a success.

The focus of the tournament is on ABC Lions who have been in good form all season and are credited for ending Mimbulu’s 12-year reign as Cezobal champions.

Cezobal chairperson Khama Mphepo said he is hoping Lions can translate the form into the national championship.

“They have been playing some great basketball. We hope they will be able to do the region proud,” said Mphepo.