Tanzania: Dar Basketball Team Fails to Shine Again in 2011 Inter Cities Tournament in Nairobi

The Citizen (Dar es Salaam)

24 April 2011

Dar Es Salaam — Dar es Salaam’s regional basketball team, Dream Team, bowed out of the 2011 East Africa Inter-Cities championship after crashing to a painful 106-44 defeat to hosts Nairobi in a semi final match at Nyayo Stadium, Kenya on Friday.It was the team’s heaviest defeat since joining the tournament over a decade ago.

Basketball Dar es Salaam (BD) official Manase Zablon blamed the team’s ungraceful elimination in the tournament on poor preparations.The hosts looked destined for a win right from the first whistle as they put their opponents at bay throughout the game. It came as no surprise when they took a deserved 24-7 first quarter lead.

In the second quarter, they started where they had left out, scoring points almost at will for a 40-20 half time lead. In the second half, Nairobi scored 66 more points while the Dar es Salaam team managed to chalk only 20. Lusajo Samuel was a notable player for Dar es Salaam. He emerged the top marksman for his team with 18 points.

Dar es Salaam will swing back in action today against Nairobi University in what will be a mere formality game for the Tanzania team.The year’s tournament has attracted nine men teams and four women’s teams from the East and Central African cities.

On Thursday, Nairobi dismissed Eldoret 77-54 at the same venue. Ancette Wafula made the opening seven points and wound up with game high 23 points as Nairobi led 37-19 at the break. Dan Okwirri nailed 19 for the losers.(Brown Msyani)

It was a good day for Nairobi teams as the women’s select side demolished Kenya Universities (Kusa) 71-34 after a 35-23 half time advantage.

Hilda Indasi and Angela Okoth bagged 11 points apiece while Kusa had 15 from Faith Owich. Kusa men beat Bentiu from Southern Sudan 75-45 with Evans Letting on fire sinking 16 points the same as the losers Major Magar.

Todays fixtures: Mwanza v Mombasa, Kusa v Mogadishu (women), Bentiu v Dar, Mombasa v Juba, Kusa v Mogadishu, Nairobi Select v Nairobi Combined (women), Eldoret v Mwanza, Juba v Mogadishu. Nairobi rocked Mwanza 75-33 on Tuesday night.

A quick three pointer by Ancette Wafula set the victors off to a bright start but Mwanza took a 7-3 lead on baskets by Juma Kissoy. Demson Owili unveiled two dunks as Nairobi took a 17-7 first quarter lead. The ever busy Salim Ali showed his defensive prowess as Nairobi raced away 29-9 in the second for 46-16 half time scores.

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