By NDINAWE SIMPELWE –

THE Zambia Basketball Association (ZBA) will this year miss out on arguably the best coach in the league after UNZA Pacers and UNZA Honeys coach Cuthbert Tembo stepped down.
Tembo said in an interview that he would not be in charge of both teams this year as he would be concentrating on personal issues which he could not pursue while still coaching.
He said he would miss the sport but was quick to say he would be available for consultation and would be watching the action at National Sports Development Centre (NASDEC).
“This year I will have very little to do with basketball. I’m pursing other interests. I won’t be coaching this season. I will be taking the sidelines so I won’t be at the forefront of running the Pacers. I will be involved in the administration, I will be considered part of their technical bench but I won’t be their head coach,” Tembo said.
He said Mulenga Mumba and Humphrey Banda will take over the coaching roles while his job would be to offer support from a distance adding that he would make a decision at the end of the year when to make a return as he was not gone forever.
Tembo, who has been at the helm of both Pacers and Honeys for eight years, said he could not remain in the position forever as if he had the monopoly of wisdom.
Having created a strong rivalry for titles with Matero Magic, Tembo said he was confident he was leaving a strong side capable of competing at all fronts.
Tembo, who is also a former national team coach, has had a lot of success with both Honeys and Pacers where he won both the league and national championships.