The Sunday News
Nkosilathi Sibanda, Sports Reporter
BASKETBALL teams in Matabeleland North Province pulled up a good show in a weekend tournament meant to promote healthy lifestyles among teenagers.
Held at the Hwange Sports Pavilion on Saturday, the competition was held under the “Colourful Basketball Weekends” banner, in a bid to use sport as a vehicle to reach out to youths in campaigns against social ills like substance abuse.
Ably led by their captains, players from Black Hornets, Ghetto Magics, Victoria Falls Panthers, Madumabisa, Royal Eagles and Mosi Projects magnified the message clearly.
With a considerable number of spectators that graced the games, tournament organisers pledged to use sport to curb society of vices brought by drugs on the streets.
This comes at a time when Matabeleland North’s urban settlements have recorded incidents of young people engaging in drugs and errant behaviour, that has led them to shun sporting activities.
There is a growing number of young people in Lupane, Bubi, Dete, Hwange and Victoria Falls falling prey to drug peddlers, according to research by community based organisations working in the province’s districts.
This has the basketball administrators in Matatabeleland North worried.
“That is the reason we started organising these weekend games. We want to use the sport of basketball to help rid the streets of drugs and illicit alcohol that is destroying youngsters and future players,” said Penrick Ndlovu the lead organiser of the anti-drugs tournament in Hwange.
“On Saturday the anti-drugs tournament went on smoothly. Seven teams drawn from Hwange, Lupane and Victoria Falls saw it prudent to have this tournament, and many that are planned to follow in the coming weekends. We asked ourselves, what is it we are doing to help groom teenagers who have love for the game. So, we used our weekend games to do just that.”
Ndlovu said the “Colourful Basketball Weekends” concept was born following the collapse of the Matabeleland North Basketball Association (Maba) during the Covid-19 era.
“It might seem like we are playing for fun, but it is becoming bigger by the day. We are seeing the impact our games have on problems affecting the society we interact with.,” said Ndlovu.
Results at a glance:
Falls Panthers 37-13 Black Hornets; Royal Eagles 13-05 Mosi Projects; Madumabisa 03-33 Falls Panthers; Black Hornets 20-10 Mosi Projects ; Royal Eagles 21-27 Falls Panthers, Black Hornets 26-17 Royal Eagles; Madumabisa 11-08 Mosi Projects
