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Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE’S Under-16 girls’ basketball team could fail to participate in next week’s Afro-Basketball tournament finals in Madagascar if they fail to raise $41,000 for the trip.

The girls’ Afro-Basketball finals will run from July 10 to 18 in the Indian Ocean island, Madagascar, while the boys’ finals are set for Mali on a yet to be confirmed date.

The girls qualified for the continental competition in May together with their boys’ counterparts after winning the regional qualifiers held in Gaborone, Botswana.

Basketball Union of Zimbabwe (Buz) secretary-general Joe Mujuru yesterday said they were making frantic efforts to raise the $41,000 to cater for the team’s airfares and tournament fees.

“It will be sad if our girls, who came first at the regional qualifiers at the expense of regional powerhouses Angola, Botswana, South Africa and Zambia, fail to travel to Madagascar for the final. We are appealing for assistance from the corporate world to send our 18-member team to the finals. We remain hopeful that the girls will travel,” said Mujuru.

“These girls have shown that the future looks bright for the country’s basketball by directly qualifying after beating giants Angola in the process. Beating Angola on its own is a catalyst we need to realise that in the next four editions, we are guaranteed playing at the highest level. All we are saying is that if we have vibrant junior national teams from Under-16 to Under-20, it’s easy for us to assemble strong senior teams because that experience comes into play.”

Mujuru said the team set for Madagascar comprises 12 players and six officials, who include coach Tapiwa Mugunyana, his assistant Clement Kuseketa, team manager Thelma Kuzaraonye, a doctor, Buz official and a referee.

The team is expected to go into camp in Harare on Saturday with the hope that funds would be found for the girls to fly out of the country on Wednesday.

The Under-16 squad

Nomqhele Mahlangu (DC, Byo), Blessing Machazire (ex-St James), Samantha Chironga (Jameson High), Victoria Makamure (Sanyati, Mash West), Rumbidzai Gumunyu, Tendai Mugodzeri (both Goromonzi), Samantha Ruuya (Arundel), Gertrude Mapiye, Sharon Ndlovu, Happiness Maroto, Tanaka Banda, Kimberly Makembo (all Girls High)

Coach: Tapiwa Mugunyana (Peterhouse). Assistant coach: Clement Kuseketa (Girls High), Manager: Thelma Kuzaraonye (Goromonzi).