The ManicaPost
Blessing Rwizi and Blessing Gondokondo
ST Augustine’s High School’s Under-20 girls’ basketball team scooped the first position at the NASH provincial finals held at Mutare Girls’ High School last week.Santa Sixers will represent Manicaland at the NASH national finals set for September 24-25 in Chinhoyi.
Inspired by its merit award winner for the best athlete, Alice Maunze, Santa Sixers won most of its games in Pool B.
Its only defeat in Pool B was against MGHS after going down 17 to 19 points.
Both of them had to proceed to the semi-finals.
Santa beat Kriste Mambo 26-25, while MGHS won 42-12 against St Mathias Tsonzo in the semi-finals.
Things turned the other way for MGHS in the finals where it lost 32-42 to Santa, leaving the Santa Sixers on first position.
In the boys’ section, the defending champions, Mutare Boys’ High School (MBHS) kept shining as they scooped first position once more after a 26-17 win against Dangamvura High School.
Ten males and 10 female teams, with 240 participants from the seven districts of Manicaland took part in this year’s edition of the NASH provincial finals.
The 240 participants received a set of warm-up uniforms from Stolz Clothing Company.
The company also awarded a prize to the all-star team and the most voted player.
Founder of Stolz Clothing Company as well as MBHS coach, Innocent Stolz, said the donation was due to his love for the game.
“I have a passion for basketball and it is my wish for that game to expand and grow to an advanced stage in the province and Zimbabwe at large.
I believe what I am doing will change the perception of basketball players.
What I have done is simply giving back to the community where I grew in. In this case it is Manicaland,” said Stolz.
Bakers Inn also donated pies, two trophies and four medals at the tournament.
In a separate interview, Mutare Basketball Association spokesperson, Taurai Dhliwayo, said: “The games gave us the opportunity to spot young talented players from different parts of the province.
“We realised some of them are lacking exposure, so we are working on taking them to a better stage as an association so that they can be linked to bigger clubs and get the chance to show what they can do best. The games were indeed a success. The young boys and girls in this province are talented and we want to take basketball to greater levels.”
Schools that managed to participate include MGHS,MBHS, St Augustine’s, Mutambara, Dangamvura, Mt Selinda, St Faith’s, Mavhudzi, Hartzell, Marist, Makumbe, St Mathias, Nyashanu, Kriste Mambo, Claire, Rushinga and St Mary’s Magadaline.
