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Ricky Zililo Senior Sports Reporter
A BUMPER crowd is expected today at the 5,000-seater ZITF Hall Three following installation of imported basketball removable floor and other equipment to be used during the African Union Sports Council Region 5 Games. Opening basketball matches were played in Hall Five which is reserved for warm-ups on Saturday with the host nation, Zimbabwe off to a good start as they won their men and women categories encounters.

In the women’s category which has six countries — Zimbabwe, South Africa, Angola, Mozambique, Botswana and Lesotho – the hosts registered a 72-28 win over Botswana, with their male counterparts emerging 108-46 victorious over Malawi.

Speaking on the sidelines of installation of equipment which landed in Bulawayo yesterday morning, basketball press and liaison officer for the Games, Shinga Magede said they expect a bumper crowd to cheer teams today.

“Now that the facility is ready for the Games, we expect sport lovers to come in their numbers and cheer teams. The imported surface arrived this morning and the technicians are already working on installing it and we will have our matches in Hall Three tomorrow with the first encounter at 9AM,” said Madege.

Botswana and South African women who lost their opening encounters to Zimbabwe and Angola respectively clash in the first match of the day.

Regional basketball powerhouses Angola and Mozambique clash in both categories’ biggest matches of the day with the women taking to the courts at 5PM while the men’s tie is on two hours later.

Results: Saturday:

Men: Mozambique 119-40 Swaziland, South Africa 71-88 Angola, Zimbabwe 108-46 Malawi

Women: Lesotho 13-180 Mozambique, Zimbabwe 72-28 Botswana, South Africa 28-85 Angola

Fixtures:Today

Men: Malawi v Swaziland (11AM), South Africa v Zimbabwe (3PM), Angola v Mozambique (7PM)

Women: Botswana v South Africa (9AM), Lesotho v Zimbabwe (1PM), Mozambique v Angola (5PM