Malawi Assemblies of God University (Magu) men’s and ladies’ teams retained Mo626 College Basketball titles at African Bible College in Lilongwe on Saturday.
It was a weekend to remember for Magu.
The men’s team, known as Magu Wolves, retained the title following a 45-41 victory over ABC Lions in a nail-biting encounter whereas the Magu She-Wolves came from behind to defeat the University of Lilongwe (Unilil) 52-48 at the same venue.
Men’s and Ladies’ champions will each pocket K5 million whereas the runners-up will receive K3 million each.
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Inspired by Tinotenda Nhira and Peter Mapunde, Magu displayed good basketball throughout the tournament.
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However, it was a tight affair against ABC Lions but Magu showed their superiority due to individual brilliance.
Magu coach for both men’s and ladies’ teams, Edgar Ng’ong’ola, praised players for defending the titles.
“We showed great character throughout the tournament. We deserved to defend the titles. We have a good crop of players,” Ng’ong’ola said.
Unilil won bronze in the men’s category following a 72-48 victory over Unima Hawks whereas Mubas also won bronze in the ladies’ category after beating Mzuni 37-35.
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Speaking during the prize presentation, National Bank of Malawi (NBM) Chief Financial Officer Daniel Jere said this year’s competition was exciting.
“The tournament lived up to its billing. We are excited and motivated. The level of basketball has greatly improved in Malawi,” Jere said.
Last year, National Bank hiked the tournament sponsorship package to the tune of K450 million for three years.
Basketball Association of Malawi (Basmal) General Secretary Peter Gomani said the Mo626 College Basketball had exposed talent across the country since the competition started.
“The tournament has registered success stories. We have seen many players from colleges showcasing their talent. The future of our basketball looks bright due to the investment from National Bank,” Gomani said.
In the individual awards, the Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the men’s category was Peter Mapunde whereas Orlyn Londo won the same award in the ladies’ category.
