Ghana will host the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Africa U-16 boys and girls Zone 3 qualifiers at the Eden Heights Sports Complex, Weija, on June 22-24.
It would be Ghana’s maiden participation in the tournament since its inception in 2009.
Host Ghana will be joined by Benin, Côte d’Ivoire and Nigeria in the boys’ category, while Nigeria battles Ghana in a two-horse race in the girls division.
Speaking ahead of the championship, a member of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the tournament, Madam Aurora Commodore-Toppar, said Ghana was ready to host the games that will see winners progress to the eighth edition of the championships on July 13-23.
Winners of the continental championship and first runners-up in the boy’s category will progress to the FIBA U-17 World Cup in Turkey in 2024, with the girls’ World Cup taking place in Mexico in 2024.
She said “the Ghana Basketball Association’s (GBBA) desire was to introduce the sport to girls from the basic and secondary school level to whip up interest among them.”
She added that the next level was to give them the much needed exposure by playing against teams from other countries to learn new things.
Madam Commodore-Toppar, who doubles as the Treasurer of the GBBA, said since Ghana was new to the championships, they were looking at putting up a great show with eyes firmly fixed on qualification to the next levels.
BY RAYMOND ACKUMEY
