The Sunday Mail
Deputy Sports Editor
THE Basketball Union of Zimbabwe (BUZ) are ready to embrace the spectacle that is three-on-three basketball, as a means of moving up the global ladder in terms of appeal and success.
This follows news of the country being granted rights to host the fourth edition of the Under-23 International Basketball Federation (IBF) 3×3 Young Lions’ Cup slated for December 2 to December 7 in Bulawayo.
“We are indeed very excited and honoured to be hosting this tournament, which we actually have a storied history in after winning the first two editions,” said BUZ president Joe Mujuru.
“It is a show of confidence on the part of FIBA and a result of the success we have had when hosting tournaments and qualifiers in the past,” he said.
With the discipline recently becoming an Olympic sport, and being adopted at the African Games, it is Mujuru’s belief that the time has come for all local basketball stakeholders to come on board and embrace the three-a-side format.
“It is my personal belief that we have higher chances of success in this format, which is faster, shorter and less economical than we have in the more traditional format.
“Look at what the Sevens’ game has done for rugby and the strides being made in Twenty20 cricket. This is the kind of success and exposure we hope to get with three-on-three basketball.
“This tournament alone puts us on the map, as we have become the second nation to host the tournament in the region.
“The previous three editions were held in Botswana, where we won the first two, and we are officially on FIBA’s radar,” he said.
At least 10 countries – Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, Madagascar, Seychelles and hosts Zimbabwe – are expected to grace the event.
“We have already begun the planning process, and will not let the Covid-19 pandemic stop us from laying the groundwork.
“Of course, we will be seeking guidance from the Government through the Sport and Recreation Commission, and once given the greenlight to resume playing, we will start trial processes.
“The deadline for registration has been set at October, which gives us ample time to lay the groundwork.
“In the past, three-on-three has been confined to Harare and Bulawayo, from which we have chosen our representatives in previous editions of the tournament, but the hope is to extend it to two or three more provinces to widen our pool of players.
“Already, Gweru (Midlands) and Mutare have made great strides and the hope is that we will continue this growth pattern.
“We hope to run a number of clinics in the build-up to the tournament and educate more people of the format,” he said.
The tournament is expected to act as dress rehearsals for the Africa Championships in Uganda, where the country is expected to send the Under-18 teams, including senior men and women teams.
