As Tanzania’s National Basketball Association (NBA) and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) unveiled a plan to launch the Basketball Africa League (BAL), Tanzania is keen to many of its teams in the league in a near future.
The new professional league is expecting to feature 12 clubs from across Africa.
The BAL will be built on the foundation of current club competitions FIBA is organising in Africa. Tanzania Basketball Federation (TBF) president Phares Magesa, told the ‘Daily News’ in Dar es Salaam yesterday that BAL has opened a door for local players to be seen in the global arenas.
“This is an ideal opportunity and a platform for our teams and players to compete at the international level competitions like NBA.
“I’m sure the competition will sensitise and motivate many young players to take the game with seriousness because it gives them vast opportunities.”
Magesa stressed that the new league will be a key in building strong teams and creating competitive local leagues. “I hope after two or three years to come Tanzania can join their East African neighbours Kenya at BAL.”
“TBF will work hard in ensuring youth’s development programmes are sustainable and also put more effort in infrastructure so as to have as many possible courts to give more youths chance to showcase their skills so that we can reach the goal,” he added.
Magesa also appealed the government and private institutions to support the federation’s bid to have more and basketball courts as the future of the sport is very bright.
He also called for an increase in investment in teams as well as backing the local leagues so that they become competitive.
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