MBA season roars into life
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Fungayi Munyoro-Chingaira
SPORTS EDITOR
MUTARE-Mutare basketball giants Mercenaries have declared themselves ready for the start of the Manicaland Basketball Association (MBA)season this weekend.
The 2022-23 campaign begins on Saturday with a total of nine matches lined up in various venues.
Mercenaries skipper Trevor Sanyatwe is eyeing another title this season.
The skipper who failed to participate in the league last season due to a shoulder injury said his team’s goal is to defend their title.
“We are more than ready to participate in the 2022/23 MBA season.As Mercenaries, we have no any other goal this season than to defend our title. The preparations have been going on well and we started training a month ago.
“We have had friendly matches with several teams during the off season break as we tried to take shape. We won our two last friendly matches against Hurricanes and Africa University. Talking about the league itself, there have been a lot of changes in the structures and how the games are going to be played. This has seen Mercenaries being part of the seven teams to be participating in League A. This has a positive effect on us since the league has relegated smaller and less competitive teams to league B, leaving us in a league where all games will be intense as we prepare for the national league,” said Sanyatwe.
Mercenaries who have been MBA champions since 2008 and national champions from 2019-2021 are also looking forward to retaining the national champion gong after surrendering it to Foxes last year.
MBA president Tonderai Shasha said the association has managed to add three more teams to the number that will be part of the league this season.
“ Our league is starting this Saturday. The men’s league will have two leagues- A and B. League A has a total of eight teams- Mercenaries, Dangamvura Knights, City Saints, Chiefs, ChikFlo, Vipers , Rusape Kings, Africa University and Sakubva Hurricanes. League B has Sophists, Sixers, FoxeNet, Tsvingwe, Chipinge Vikings, MTC, Mutare Boys High Shumbaz and Mutare Poly.
“ Nothing has changed in the ladies league. We only have one league comprising of Mutare Girls High School, Africa University, Mutare Teachers College, Mavericks, Swishers and Rusape Queens.
“ We will be having our league games played in different venues and
Mutare Boys High School recreational centre remains as our main venue. Other venues include Florida court, Dangamvura community court, Chikanga Sports field, Tsvingwe, Africa University, Vengere community court and Chipinge country club,” he said.
Shasha added that the association is excited to welcome three new clubs to the league.
“There is an increase in the number of teams in the league this season this shows that basketball is growing big in the province and we are very excited about that. We are pleased to welcome Vikings from Chipinge, Rusape Kings from Makoni and Tsvingwe from Mutasa .We are still working on having more girls participation in the league and also open to high school teams to join the league,” he said.