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Lakers team

Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE’S representatives in the women’s category of the Federation of International Basketball (Fiba) Club Championships, Lakers and Southern Mavericks are expected to leave the country today for the competition which starts on Saturday in Botswana.

The competition roars to life on Saturday in Gaborone and will end on October 26.

The Fiba Africa Club Championships are the premier professional basketball event for champions of leagues on the continent. The best basketball clubs are set to converge for what is expected to be a thrilling basketball fiesta.

Lakers and Mavericks are both based in Bulawayo and have declared themselves ready for the tournament.

Zimbabwe has not performed well at previous competitions but this time around hopes are high that the clubs will put up a great fight.

Mavericks will bank on the experience of national team players Sibongile Mkandla, Melissa Majonga and Nobukhosi Ndlovu to steer them to a respectable finish at the tournament.

“They will also rely on the services of Brandinah Muleya and Tinotenda Nyanhete who have been part of the junior age group national teams.

Southern Mavericks general-manager Hubert Bhebhe said his charges are ready for the challenge ahead.

Mavericks

“The players are ready to go, we have been preparing for some time now and it’s all systems go. Our biggest challenge remains the financial side where we are struggling to get cash for incidental allowances. We hope all will be well when we leave for Botswana on Thursday (today),” said Bhebhe.

Lakers who are under the tutelage of former national women’s team coach Sikhumbuzo Vusa Ndlovu look up to the likes of Stabile Ngandini and Geraldine Chibanda who have been impressive in the league to carry their form to Botswana.

The two teams from Bulawayo will be joined at the tournament by two men’s sides from Harare to make it four teams representing Zimbabwe at the championships.

@innocentskizoe