The ManicaPost
Sports Reporter
MANICALAND is a bedrock of untapped basketball talent that can produce more stars if properly nurtured at grassroots level, a Zimbabwe Basketball Union (BUZ) official has said.
Speaking to The Manica Post, the game’s long-time administrator in the province, Tonderai Shasha, who is also a member of the Basketball Union of Zimbabwe (BUZ) national executive, said this has resulted in the slow uptake of the sport, especially among girls in school.
He said the fact that one of the country’s top basketball sides – Mercenaries – is based in Mutare is ample testimony of the copious amounts of talent Manicland boasts.
“Basketball talent is abundant in Manicaland and we need to unearth and polish the gems. Because the game is not being promoted at grassroots level, there are not enough coaches in schools. Schools are an important breeding ground for as they serve as feeders that nurture and convey talent to the clubs. We need to harness more basketball talent,” said Shasha.
He bemoaned the disruptions the sport suffered owing to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Said Shasha: “Inactivity during the Covid-19 national lockdowns affected the good progress the game was making. Some of our players, especially the girls, dropped out of the sport.”
He urged Manicland to rise to the occasion by taking advantage of having trained more basketball coaches than any other province with the help of Hartzell Old Basketball Association (HOBA) over the past four years.
Shasha said Manicaland needs to utilise the basketball courts the province has built in rural areas.
He called on corporate entities to come on board and support the game through sponsorship.
