NMMU eye national glory
Basketball side hoping to build on local success at USSA
THE high-flying NMMU basketball team will be aiming to transfer domestic form into national success when they compete in the University Sports South Africa week in Alice starting later this month.
NMMU have swept away all before them in the Eastern Cape in recent years but still have it all to prove at national level.
Star player Ian “Flash” Shonhiwa believes the side have what it takes to compete with the country’s best.
“Mentally we are ready, physically we are almost there,” Shonhiwa said yesterday. “Every player is working hard to be in form for the USSA. Last year our goal was to make the top eight and to qualify for the Varsity Cup Basketball that might start next year, and we achieved that goal. This year we aim to make the top five.”
This year’s tournament will be hosted by University of Fort Hare from June 29 until July 3.
NMMU has been building a fear- some reputation on local soil.
Boasting a squad of 12 talented individuals from across South Africa and the world, the team is not only rich in diversity but is bulldozing its way to becoming one of the best around. The team is coached by Kevin Ho-Chong, assisted by Andrew Thuo.
Alongside them is new captain Ronald Musivibe (Zimbabwe).
The team have a formidable win record in the Eastern Cape USSA region, with an impressive 35-0 victory streak going back to 2013.
The team are also holders of the annual Tri-varsity competition, held against Rhodes University and University of Fort Hare since 2012.
The team’s best win yet came when they defeated the PE Windbreakers (a professional team that competes in South Africa’s Basketball National League) at the Missionvale campus earlier this year.
The ace for the Madibaz has been Kwabena Frimpong (Ghanaian-American) who has been the MVP (Most Valuable Player) for two years running. He also won the USSA Eastern Cape region Best Player Award for last year.
Alongside Frimpong are Lwazi Mapthiza and Ridwaan Jobson. The three of them also play for PE Windbreakers in the national league.
Others in the team who have rep- resented their respective countries at international level are Musivibe (Zimbabwe), and Wezi Uka and John Mpanga (both Malawi).