03 Mar 2022

Rivalry is to be re-lived today at Ba Isago basketball courts when Dolphins take on Police V in the Botswana Basketball League pre-season tournament.

The tourney was to kick off last weekend, but postponed due to rain.

Following a number of delays to resume the league among others, teams’ reluctance in submitting their COVID 19 return to play compliance requirements, today’s fixture falls within Catergory A in basketball circles as both teams are perianal title contenders.

Though the fixture is a preseason game  with only bragging  rights at stake, the  battle between Dolphins and Police  is always an epic one.

With both teams evenly matched in terms of championship tittles between them, Police V are on paper hot favorites to triumph over their much youthful opponents as the former have assembled an array of  stars in their camp with the arrival of Nigerian Nnaemeka  Eze who decamped from Dolphins.

Dolphins on one hand will be banking on the agility on fast breaks by point guard, Joel Mothusi and the experienced national team player, Kesaobaka Ndawanyana.

Speaking in an interview, the basketball association’s technical director,  Shalosh Matsetse, stated that the pre-season tournament  came at a time when the association was preparing to resume the league in a fortnight.

“The mandate of the pre-season games is to check on the teams’ readiness in terms of complacence to COVID-19 protocols as well as their fitness level before  the league  can officially resume,” he said.

Matsetse said it was, however, disappointing that most teams were reluctant to summit their ready to play guidelines, which could hamper the league’s  resumption period.

 For  his part, Botswana Basketball League  chairperson, Peter Ubakar, expressed  delight on registration of the new  teams on the league saying, ‘it is  a big achievement  to see more  teams joining the  league as  it gives  a  chance to get involved in the game.’

“ Our  biggest goal now is to push the  ladies  game and lure  in more ladies. I must  admit that the  pandemic  set us  back a little bit  as we have  not played basketball in two years,” he said.

Despite the cloud of muddle that has been hovering the league regarding sponsorship and inadequate playing courts, the skirmish for the league  top honours  this season is  poised to go all the way to the wire  the  registration of  new  teams in the  league in the  likes of Tlokweng  based Mustangs, Oldies  basketball team, Vallent Tigers  and  Warriors.  ENDs