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Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter
CLUBS affiliated to the Bulawayo Basketball Association (BBA) voted at the weekend to hold a classification tournament for ‘A’ League men’s teams ahead of the start of the 2021-2022 season.

The clubs also voted to maintain a seven-team top tier provincial league, with the rest of the clubs competing in the ‘B’ League at an extraordinary meeting held in the city at the weekend.

The tournament has been scheduled for October 9 and the league proper is expected to start on October 16.

All players, coaches and match officials are expected to be fully vaccinated and those that are not will be barred from participating.

The format of the proposed classification tournament will be communicated to the clubs.

Clubs that will be fighting for a slot in the ‘A’ League this season are Giants, Nust, City Knights, Oilers, Clippers, Lakers, Legends, City Royals, Highlanders and Southern Mavericks.

Speaking after the EGM, BBA president Sinda Mono said he was excited at the prospect of the classification tournament and believed it would ensure strong competition in the league.

The BBA assembly also voted to resume warm-up matches to ease players into match fitness ahead of the new season.

Meanwhile, five boys and six girls from Bulawayo made the Zimbabwe national Under-18 squads ahead of the Africa Union Sports Council (AUSC) Region 5 Under-20 Games to be held in Maseru, Lesotho in December.

The players were selected during a national team training camp held in Kwekwe on Saturday.

Girls: Nqoba Tshuma (Sizane), Asiahtu Mapiye (St Bernards), Luyanda and Michelle Phiri (both Petra), Sharon Banda (Nkulumane), Samantha Chibanda (Matopo)

Boys: Takundanashe Mupatsi (St Columbus), Neon Mutasa (Byo Polytech), Michael Hamandishe and Farai Mbaiwa (both CBC), Mbonisi Sibanda (Falcon College)