Harare Basketball Association will never be this good again. The capital is up for a photo-finish as the league concludes the 2022/23 leagues and the place is non other than the City Sports Center this Saturday in what the league has dubbed ‘Super Saturday’. Its either Foxes or Leopards for the tittle.
Foxes lead the pack with 38 points from 21 games played and only top the log standings on goal difference over Leopards who also have same number of points from as much games played.
There is one reason every basketball fan in Zimbabwe must converge at the City arena this Saturday and that is down to the fact that both teams come into this fixture with their destines right in their hands. Foxes got the better of Leopards in their reverse fixture a couple of weeks ago at the same venue in a game they made a very strong statement about their intentions. If that form counts then Foxes are podium finishers.
Leopards boast of very talented youngsters who have learnt to believe and knocking on the doors of the national team. Coach X and his coaching team has done wonders Leopards this season and deserves the coach of the season award. Once Neto brings the right pair of basketball boots then the HBA tittle goes to the Academy.
Foxes on the other hand, though missing the services of one of their most prized assets and Zimbabwe point guard in Warren Tegama has equally good talent. Should the usually mercurial Tatenda ‘Tswa’ Tswatswa rise to the occasion then Leopards will have to settle for silver. Coached by one young but shrewd coach in Kelvin Ben,Foxes stand a 50-50 chance to bag their second tittle in their short history in the HBA elite league.
JBC has 36 points and stand 4th on the log with a game in hand over both Foxes and Leopards. They will finish the league at 40 points. In the event they win all their remaining games with same number of points as the winner between Leopards and Foxes but will only settle for second position because of an inferior goal difference. Should this be the case, the looser between Foxes and Leopards will settle for bronze.
One interesting scenario in relation to JBC though, is that they are playing UZ Stars who have been holding their own lately. Stars have beaten both Foxes and Leopards in recent games. JBC will also play a team who beat them only last week in their final game. They face the Ngoni Mukukula led Raiderz. If these records have a bearing on the pending games then JBC will settle for 4th position with Coach Mbaji’s young Stars taking third. JBC however has what it takes to cover for themselves. A JBC featuring a fit Tawanda Chitsinde complimented with the evergreen Noah Penduka together with the ageless Taurai Chitsinde are no push overs.
These computations tells you the intensity and interest coming to the ‘Super Saturday’ games. As this is not enough, ‘crowd puller and young talent – conveyer belt – Prince Edward is in the fold. They date an equally renowned ‘talent cooker’ in Watershed from Marondera. Games between the two schools are known to be so entertaining and full of value.
Every serious basketball fan in Harare and in deed country must converge at the City Sports Center this Saturday. It honestly can never be this good. This should be a beautiful day for families and all basketball fans. Entry is just a dollar. Fans are encouraged to bring their cooler boxes and have fun. Best of catering is in place with DJ Naida on the turn tables to cap out the entertainment.
For the old, this event has a capacity to match or even surpass the 6th All Africa games held in 1995 at the same venue.
