The Zambia Basketball Federation (ZBF) says that the Under-18 Boys and Girls teams will make their first appearance at the FIBA Afrobasket Tournament in Pretoria.
Team spokesperson Wedson Mavoro told Lusaka Star that the Afrobasket tournament will feature three groups—A, B, and C—comprising the following nations: South Africa, Tunisia, Cameroon, Rwanda, Egypt, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Angola, Morocco, and Zambia.
He said that a total of 40 individuals would travel, including 24 players, a head coach, two assistant coaches, a technical advisor, a similar lineup for the women, and a Federation Representative.
“The team is expected to depart on Friday, August 30, 2024, where the girls will face off against Mali, Morocco, and Angola in Group B, while the boys will play in Group C, against South Africa (the host country), Morocco, and Rwanda,” he said.
He also indicated that the estimated budget was 1.6 million, with ZBF securing 50% of the funds, and Minister of Youth, Sports and Arts Elvis Nkandu providing the rest.
Meanwhile, Head Coach Paul Mwale said that the teams were ready for the tournament and that expectations for their performance were high.