ZANZIBAR (Tanzania) - It is all systems go as eleven teams battle for a place in the Women Basketball League Africa (WBL-Africa) in the Zone Five Qualifiers.
The competition gets underway on Sunday 27 October to Saturday 2 November, at the newly-constructed Amaan Indoor Stadium, with the top two teams bagging automatic slots for December's Final in Dakar, Senegal.
Regional defending champions Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) have their work cut out as they look to return to the continental showpiece where they lost the title to Sporting Alexandria.
The Antony Ojukwu-coached side has roped in Nigerian International Nkem Akariwe who led Customs to a fifth place finish in last year’s Africa Women’s Basketball League (AWBL) in Alexandria, Egypt.
Veronica Keita from Benin who featured for ASPAC last year joins the holders from Rwandese side Kepler while Alima Doumbia from Cote d’Ivoire and Rwandese talent Chantal Kiyobe who featured for Kenyan side Zetech Sparks until last season complete Ojukwu's list of new additions.
The side has strong opposition, top of the list are Al Ahly Sporting Club who hope to follow in the footsteps of their countrywomen. Their charge will be led by Reem Moussa, who was part of the Alexandria Sporting winning squad last year.
Meanwhile, Charles Mushumba-coached APR, Rwandese champions, have roped in former MVP, shooting guard Italee Lucas who featured for bronze medalists Inter Clube of Angola in last year’s Africa Women’s Basketball League (AWBL) in Alexandria, Egypt.
Also in their ranks is the impressive Brigitte Nibishaka who stared for Rwanda U18 girls in last month's FIBA U18 Women's AfroBasket held in South Africa.
Elsewhere, Rwanda Energy Group (REG), semifinalists last year in the AWBL and silver medalists in the Zone Five Qualifiers boast a star-studded squad led by International Destiny Philoxy who made the team of the tournament at last year’s AWBL with the same team.
Joining her is Kenyan duo of Victoria Reynolds and Mercy Wanyama, the former having made the team of the tournament last year as well when she featured for KPA, leading them to their first African competition final. Wanyama, a main stay for Kenya Lionesses joins the Rwandese side from Lithuania.
Meanwhile, Kenyan champions Equity Bank Hawks who landed a wild card to the AWBL after finishing third in the Zone 5 Qualifiers have Cameroonian sensation Mitchell Sokoudjou to run their back court. Last year they finished sixth in Alexandria and are looking to return to the continental showpiece and do better.
JKT Lady Dolphins of Uganda, Vijana Queens and Fox Divas both of Tanzania Burundi duo of Gladiators and Young Sisters who featured in last year’s Qualifiers as Ethiopia's Hawassa City are all in the mix.
FIBA