New basketball body put NBF through its hoops

THE newly launched Namibia Basketball Association (NBA) is being seen as a duplicate of the existing Namibia Basketball Federation (NBF), until now the sole custodian of the game in this country.

The new body’s Executive Chairman, Penda Hangala, is adamant that his association is not an NBF clone, but “just an alternative option” for basketball clubs and players but that perception is not shared in other quarters. He announced at a media conference yesterday that the aim the NBA’s goal was ‘tailoring young talented youth, to become the country’s sought-after professional basketball players”.Hangala said the NBA’s primary function would be to host competitive basketball activities such as league games, regular competitions, competitive street-balling and skills development.The NBF currently plays host to these activities, but Hangala says his body gives a wider choice to basketballers.He said the new body planned to apply for NBF membership.Namibia Sport Commission member Noreen Walters yesterday told The Namibian Sport that at this stage the NBF was Namibia’s official basketball entity, and that no official correspondence had been established with the new body.Walters said she heard about the NBA but had instructed the NBF to furnish the commission with information regarding the objectives of the new body before calling a meeting.”After we have made ourselves familiar with the objectives of the new body, we will call them (NBA) and talk about it,” Walters said..NBF Secretary General George Kamati said he was not aware of the objectives of the new body, but confirmed that the commission had asked the new organisatio to provide it with information about it.Hangala said they the NBA had not been in touch officially with either the NBF or the commission but had made contact unofficially.”The NBA does not aim to create conflict with the NBF, but aims to create an environment of choice for the Namibian basketball-playing and -loving community,” he said.”The NBA in this regard invites prospective role players to collaborate jointly and mould a future for the country’s next generation away from social evils and HIV-AIDS.”Hangala wants players from the current clubs in the NBF to voluntarily move over and join the association’s league, but is denying that they will rob the current legitimate body of players and clubs at the same time.”These players and clubs are not owned by the NBF and they can move as free as they can,” he said.Asked on how many players they have attracted before the official announcement yesterday, Hangala said the entire Kavango region ‘is eager to join the new league.’ He did not give figures, saying that will be determined when they start with their activities.The NBF currently has about five leagues across the country, with at least 500 players playing actively under its jurisdiction.On the funding of the league, Hangala said the NBA wants to introduce the flow of funds directly to the game where players involved can start benefiting from the game.He said the DownTown Advertising Agency, of which he is the head, will inject a total of N$150 000 into the NBA for this year to get it off the ground.He announced at a media conference yesterday that the aim the NBA’s goal was ‘tailoring young talented youth, to become the country’s sought-after professional basketball players”.Hangala said the NBA’s primary function would be to host competitive basketball activities such as league games, regular competitions, competitive street-balling and skills development.The NBF currently plays host to these activities, but Hangala says his body gives a wider choice to basketballers.He said the new body planned to apply for NBF membership.Namibia Sport Commission member Noreen Walters yesterday told The Namibian Sport that at this stage the NBF was Namibia’s official basketball entity, and that no official correspondence had been established with the new body.Walters said she heard about the NBA but had instructed the NBF to furnish the commission with information regarding the objectives of the new body before calling a meeting.”After we have made ourselves familiar with the objectives of the new body, we will call them (NBA) and talk about it,” Walters said..NBF Secretary General George Kamati said he was not aware of the objectives of the new body, but confirmed that the commission had asked the new organisatio to provide it with information about it.Hangala said they the NBA had not been in touch officially with either the NBF or the commission but had made contact unofficially.”The NBA does not aim to create conflict with the NBF, but aims to create an environment of choice for the Namibian basketball-playing and -loving community,” he said.”The NBA in this regard invites prospective role players to collaborate jointly and mould a future for the country’s next generation away from social evils and HIV-AIDS.”Hangala wants players from the current clubs in the NBF to voluntarily move over and join the association’s league, but is denying that they will rob the current legitimate body of players and clubs at the same time.”These players and clubs are not owned by the NBF and they can move as free as they can,” he said.Asked on how many players they have attracted before the official announcement yesterday, Hangala said the entire Kavango region ‘is eager to join the new league.’ He did not give figures, saying that will be determined when they start with their activities.The NBF currently has about five leagues across the country, with at least 500 players playing actively under its jurisdiction.On the funding of the league, Hangala said the NBA wants to introduce the flow of funds directly to the game where players involved can start benefiting from the game.He said the DownTown Advertising Agency, of which he is the head, will inject a total of N$150 000 into the NBA for this year to get it off the ground.