National basketball team set for Fiba qualifiers

For the first time in over a decade, Malawi National Basketball Team will take part in the 2023 Zone V1 Fiba AfroCAN men’s qualifiers slated for February 20 to 28 in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.

The purpose of the tournament is to determine qualifying nations to the men’s Fiba AfroCAN tournament, which will take place in July this year.

Ahead of the qualifiers, Basketball Association of Malawi (Basmal) has appointed Griffin Kalua as interim coach.

Basmal General Secretary Peter Gomani said the team is expected to go into camp on February 9.

“We are ready to return to the international stage. We believe this is our chance to prove that we have good basketball players,” Gomani said.

However, the team is racing against time to start preparations for the qualifiers.

This will be a real test for the Malawi basketball national team, having failed to take part in international tournaments for over 10 years.

Kalua said it was an honour to lead the national team.

“This is an opportunity for the players to showcase their talent. We are going there to compete,’’ Kalua, who is also Coach and Patron for Malawi basketball giants Bravehearts, said.

While the national team has been idle for a decade, Bravehearts and teams such as Central Knights, Lady Dynamites and Cougars have participated in several international tournaments in recent years. Basketball has, for many years, been one of the popular games in Malawi along with football and netball.

AfroCAN is a biennial tournament which is open to all players who play to Africa basketball clubs in Africa.