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Brandon Moyo, Sports Reporter
THE Southern region basketball league has bounced back after a two-year break due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The quality of basketball in the southern region was really going down so we decided as basketball coaches and administrators to bring back the southern league,” said the league spokesperson Brighton Musaidzi.

The clubs are drawn from four regions – Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South, Bulawayo, Midlands and Masvingo.

The teams are Victoria Falls Panthers, Southern Mavericks, Bulawayo Lakers, Legends, Highlanders, City Royals, Masvingo Panthers, Falcons, Warriors, Unicorns and Wolves.

This year’s edition started in July in Bulawayo at Khanyisile with a pre-season tournament. It then moved to Gweru where teams played the first circle of games at Mkoba Teachers College.

The next round was in Masvingo and the final round will be in Victoria Falls in October to close off the first half of the season. The return fixtures will be sorted out after the participating provinces are done with their local leagues.

“We hope to start being competitive and challenge Northern region teams, Harare Basketball league and Mutare Mercenaries as well and also increase the competitiveness of basketball,” said Musaidzi.

League administrators are also hoping to have their teams in the national final, representing the country in the Basketball Africa League.