Nairobi, KENYA: TANZANIA’S 2024 National Basketball League (NBL) Champions, Dar City, began their campaign at the inaugural East Africa Basketball Championship Cup (EABCC) Zone 5 on a high note.
The tournament that tipped off at Nyayo National Stadium gymnasium in Nairobi, Kenya, saw Dar City upset hosts Equity Bank Dumas with an emphatic 83-63 victory on Tuesday.
Former NBA star, Hasheem Thabeet was instrumental in the win, scoring 10 points in the first quarter to set the tone for his team. Dar City entered halftime with a slim 37-32 lead. Although Equity Bank briefly closed the gap to a two-point deficit (46-44) in the third quarter, the Tanzanian champions surged ahead, dominating the final quarter to seal the win.
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Nathaniel Browniee led all scorers with a game-high 29 points, while Thabeet contributed 20 points and Amin Mose chipped in 10 for the victors. Dar City Head Coach, Henry Mwinuka, commended his team for their resilience and adaptability, especially given their limited preparation time.
“I have trained this team for only a week, so our tactics were simple: secure rebounds, start transitions and open up the floor,” he said. In another game, Tanzania’s Army Basketball Club (ABC), the NBL finalists, fell to Burundi’s Remesha in a tightly contested match that ended 84-75. ABC started strongly, narrowly leading 21-20 after the first quarter.
The second quarter remained competitive, with both teams exchanging leads before Remesha edged ahead 45-42 at halftime. Omany Nduka top-scored for ABC with 22 points, supported by Jonas Nishi with 16 points and team captain Enerico Augustino with 15.
Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), another favourite in the tournament, overcame a slow start to defeat Burundi’s Les Hippos 76-63 in their opening game.
The six-day EABCC Zone 5 tournament features six top men’s teams from three East African Community (EAC) nations Tanzania, Burundi and hosts Kenya. The competition, showcasing regional basketball talent, runs until December 15, 2024.
