By GWEN CHIPASULA –
THE Zambia Under-16 girls basketball team have failed to qualify to the fourth FIBA Africa Under-16 Championships after losing 44-64 to South Africa.
This was the third straight loss for the Zambian lasses and will today wind up their campaign at the FIBA Zone Six African qualifying series against hosts, Botswana.
In the first game against Angola, the Zambian girls lost 36- 109 before tumbling to Zimbabwe 52-71.
After stunning Mozambique on Wednesday, the boys team lost to South Africa 52-73 on Thursday.
This leaves them with one game to decide whether they will qualify or not to the FIBA Africa Under-16 Championships.
Coach Paul Mwale is confident his boys will pull through in their last game and be able to qualify.
“Not all is lost, yesterday’s game was very difficult, four of my key players were badly injured from the game we played against Mozambique but they still put up a good game,” he said.
Despite the injuries, Mwale said he still had confidence in the remaining manpower to do the job against Botswana.
“We are definitely beating Botswana tomorrow, I have full confidence in my players because they have been managing to put up good competition so far,” he said.
South Africa’s boys team and the Angolan girls are leading after winning all the three games they have played.
Zambia will jostle for the last qualification slot against Mozambique and Zimbabwe.
