Vijana, Fox Divas in tough WBLA 2024 Zone Five

ZANZIBAR: ALL eyes are on Tanzania’s Vijana Queens and Fox Divas as the Women’s Basketball League Africa (WBLA) 2024 Zone Five Qualifiers tip off today in Zanzibar and set to wind up November 2.

This marks the first time that Zanzibar play hosts to this prestigious tournament, which has seen significant growth since its inception.

Michael Kadebe, the President of Tanzania Basketball Federation (TBF), said 11 teams will compete for a coveted spot in the WBLA 2024 finals.

“This will be the first time the Isles hosts the event since the event began in Harare, Zimbabwe, in 1995. We are honoured again to have regional qualifiers in the country,” he stressed.

Top clubs from seven FIBA Africa Zone 5 countries will vie for the top honors at the newly constructed New Amaan Indoor Stadium.

The challenge will be formidable for Dar es Salaam’s Vijana Queens and Fox Divas, as they face tough competition from several visiting teams.

Egyptian powerhouse Al Ahly are looking to make an impact, after eliminating Alexandria Sporting Club (ASC), the two-time AWBL champions for the place at Zanzibar showdown.

Kenyan Champions, Equity Bank Hawks, who last won the title in 2018 and multiple titleholders, Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) will also gear up for the qualification.

KPA performed well in last year’s tournament in Kigali, finishing as runners-up to ASC, while the Hawks secured third place. Both teams had a strong showing in the AWBL final, where ASC triumphed on home soil in Egypt.

Equity Bank Hawks arrived in Zanzibar on Wednesday after two weeks of rigorous training as veteran coach Anthony Ojukwu quoted expressed confidence in his squad, which has been bolstered by four key foreign signings, including Customs Nigeria’s Nkem Akariwe, Keita Veronica from Benin, Alima Doumbia from Mali and Chantal Kiyobe from Rwanda.

In addition to the Tanzanian teams, other competitors include Uganda’s JKT Lady, REG and APR of Rwanda, as well as Gladiators and Young Sisters from Burundi and Ethiopia’s Hawassa City.

FIBA Africa Zone 5 President Hisham El Hariri praised the increasing competitiveness of the tournament, stating: “This year’s qualifiers are expected to be thrilling, especially after three Zone 5 teams reached the semifinals of the AWBL in Alexandria last season.

“As president of Zone 5, I am pleased to see participation grow from nine teams in Dar es Salaam in 2022, to ten in 2023 and now 11 this year.”