The National Basketball Association (NBA), in partnership
with the Federation of Ugandan Basketball League Association (FUBA), launched a
Jr. NBA FUBA League in Kampala. The League will provide boys ages 12-15 and
their coaches throughout 30 schools with the opportunity to learn and develop
their basketball skills through a competitive league.
The Jr. NBA FUBA League will feature 30 teams from 30
schools across Kampala. The schools will be divided into Eastern and Western
Conferences with the top eight teams in each conference qualifying for the
playoffs. At the end of the season, a single-elimination playoffs and final
will determine the Jr. NBA FUBA League champions.
Each of the schools will represent one of the 30 NBA teams
and will receive corresponding NBA team-branded attire for their games, which
will span eight weeks from June through August.
The NBA recently launched a similar League in Maputo,
Mozambique earlier this month. The League is also played in Senegal and Abuja.
Spain, Turkey and UK are among other countries that have the league already
running.
The leagues are aimed at promoting core values such as
teamwork, discipline, leadership, fitness and healthy living through the games
and competition. The boys will be able to get the right basics at a young age.
NBA and FUBA agreed to have boys playing first then the girls will come later
after the development of the league.
Although, FUBA sighted a challenge of having the schools
honoring the fixtures and traveling to other schools, the schools promised to
be able to play as many or not all the games.
NBA hopes to grow the sport of Basketball and bring it at a
level where fans are able to appreciate the sport. Present at the launch was
the Vice President of Uganda H.E Edward Ssekandi who commended the NBA and FUBA
for putting together such a competition that would keep the school kids fit and
mentally disciplined.
The NBA was represented by Amadou Gallo Fall, NBA Vice
President and Managing Director NBA Africa. He promised bigger things for
Uganda and that the Jr. NBA FUBA League will run for four years.
Among the schools, notably, were; Lubiri SS as Golden State
Warriors, Kibuli SS as Cavaliers, Crane High as Trail Blazers, Kings College
Budo as LA Lakers and St. Peters Naalya as Atlanta Hawks.
The first game was played between Utah Jazz (St. Marys Kisubi
College) and New orleans Pelicans (Mashariki SS). The New Orleans emerged as
winners. The game’s MVP was 14 year old Zayed Bbale from Mashariki High School.
No comments:
Post a Comment