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Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter

TATENDA Maturure and Patience Chinhoyi have been named as the Basketball Union of Zimbabwe (BUZ) Most Valuable Players (MVP) of the past decade in the men’s and women’s categories respectively.

BUZ on Thursday afternoon announced its team of the decade, player of the decade and people’s choice player of the decade.

A special panel comprising various coaches from around the country selected players for these accolades.

To be eligible, a player had to be a Zimbabwean citizen, who has played in a topflight league whether it be domestic or international.

Maturure (31), who played for Raiders, JBC, Harare City Hornets, Soweto Panthers and Mercenaries has previously been named BUZ MVP in 2017 and also in 2015 when he averaged 23 points per game.

Chinhoyi, who is still active for Harare City Hornets, captained the national team at the Afrobasket qualifiers and was nominated as the national league’s MVP in 2019.

Patience Chinhoyi

For the People’s Choice Player of the Decade, a poll was opened on the BUZ facebook, with close to 30 000 votes being cast.

Walter Mabhena and Fadzai Mabasa were voted as the BUZ people’s choice best players of the past decade.

Mabhena took the men’s people choice vote, while Mabasa scooped the women’s gong.

Mabasa received 7 488 votes, with her closest competitor Geraldine Chibonda attaining 6 176 votes.

Mabhena got 2 559 votes, While Warren Tegama was second with 895 votes.

“Congratulations to the players who have been chosen by various coaches around the country. We are grateful to all stakeholders that came out and supported us. We are happy that this being the first time to have such an event the process has progressed well.

“We are thankful also to the fans who voted in the people’s choice award. I feel this is the biggest honour that the association can bestow on our players, who are doing a really great job. We are excited that this project has gone well so we hope to carry on going forward,” said BUZ president Joe Mujuru.

Men’s team of the decade

Nathan Warikandwa, lnnocent Sithole, Tatenda Maturure, Duncan Shenje, Tawanda Chitsinde, Warren Tegama, Everisto Pasipamire, Eric Banda, Tatenda Tswatswa, Taurai Chitsinde, Vitalis Chikoko, Simbarashe Mungomezi

Women’s team of the decade

Geraldine Chiponda, Dorcas Marondera, Charity Mucucuti, Yolanda Matayataya, Sibongile Mkandla, Juliet Misihairambwi, Sithabile Ngandini, Alexandra Maseko, Patience Chinhoyi, Melisa Majonga, Sharon Chamwarura, Margaret Magwaro

-@innocentskizoe