The Sunday Mail
Online Reporter
HAS UZ Sparks begun to buckle under pressure?
Well, this seems to be the biggest question going into the final games of the second round of the Harare Basketball Association (HBA) Super 6 this weekend.
While they continue to top the women’s HBA Super 6 log standings with 16 points from nine games, Sparks seem to have lost their aura after back-to-back defeats, with the last coming courtesy of a 71-65 loss to Harare City Hornets on Sunday.
The team started the newly inaugurated Super 6 league with a seven-game winning streak.
This, however, came to an end when they were beaten 51-59 by defending champions Vixens just before the league broke for the holidays last month.
UZ Sparks now face JBC, who find themselves also in need of a win after losing to Greenstars 45-56.
The match is set to headline this weekend’s set of women’s fixtures at the City Sports Centre on Sunday.
A resurgent Vixens side play Harare City Hornets, while Greenstars will be hoping to make it three wins in a row and rescue their 2022/2023 season when they clash against Bunnies.
It is set to be a basement battle when Bunnies and Greenstars clash, as the latter currently anchor log standings with 11 points from nine games, while the former is just a point above them.
It is a totally different story in the men’s category, as JBC men are still unbeaten, and chatter about their championship credentials seems to get louder with every game.
Their opponents this weekend, however, are no push-overs, as the Foxes are the reigning provincial and national champions.
Foxes have not had the best start to the new format, as they currently find themselves fourth on the log standings with 12 points from nine matches.
They are tied on the same number of points with the basement duo of Leopards Academy and Harare City Hornets, as all three teams have only managed to garner three wins from their opening nine games.
Leopards Academy have a date with third-placed UZ Stars, while Hornets play against second-placed Bucs.
Fortunately, for all teams involved, there is still plenty of basketball to play and the league is just wrapping up the second round of five this weekend.
ORDER OF PLAY
Bunnies v Greenstars (W)
Vixens v Harare City Hornets (W)
UZ Sparks v JBC (W)
UZ Stars v Leopards Academy (M)
Bucs v Harare City Hornets (M)
Foxes v JBC (M)
