Defending champions of the Africa Zone 5 regional Basketball event have arrived in the country ahead of the start of the 2012 event on Monday at the Lugogo Indoor Stadium.
Burundi’s Urnani (men) and KPA women from Kenya, who won the titles last year in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, were among the first teams to arrive on Sunday afternoon.
Ali Balunywa, the Federation of Uganda Basketball Association (FUBA) publicist, told URN that about seven teams including APR of Rwanda and Berco Stars from Burundi had also arrived. Balunywa says the draws for the event will be made on Sunday evening.
The week-long regional club basketball competition will run from August 20-26 at the Lugogo Indoor Stadium and Makerere Main ground Basketball Court.
Uganda will be represented by local League champions DMark Power and Kyambogo Warriors for the men, while Uganda Christian University Lady Canon and KCCA Leopards represent the women.
The local sides will have to be at their best if they hope to win any of the titles at stake. Tough contenders like APR of Rwanda, Urnani from Burundi and Kenya’s giant women’s side KPA have won the title seven times in the last ten years.
The foreign teams that had confirmed participation by Friday include; Kenya Commercial Bank, Cooperative Bank, Eagles Wings and Kenya Port Authority (KPA) from Kenya; ABC, Jeshi Stars, Lioness from Tanzania; Espior and APR from Rwanda; and Urnani, New Stars and Berco Stars from Burundi.
Organizers are also still expecting teams from Ethiopia and South Sudan before the end of the day.
