On November 18, Miles and Associates International, a leading basketball development firm in Africa is boarding a flight to Washington, D.C. with 15 of Africa’s top high school basketball players from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Angola and Mozambique.

These players were selected from “top 40 elite player camps” that were conducted in each country. The African all-star team is composed of the top 3 players (ages 14-18) from each of the 5 countries. The 15 players were selected from “Sprite Slam” camps that were directed by current and former NBA players Hasheem Thabeet (Tanzania), Steve Smith and Marty Conlon (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda), and Horace Grant (Angola, Mozambique).

In pictures (see attached pdf)

The youth will spend a week in the United States receiving high level basketball instruction, strength and conditioning training, competing against top high school teams and sightseeing. The program sponsor (Sprite) has also ensured that they will be able to attend live NBA games in both Washington, D.C. and Memphis, Tennessee.

“Most of these young men will be traveling outside of their communities for the first time. This is young people that have managed to use their passion, drive and exceptional talent to make some of their wildest dreams come true.”

Full schedule (doc)

(Michael Finley: Managing Director: Miles & Associates International)

About Miles and Associates International

Miles & Associates International (MAI) has been developing youth through the game of basketball on the continent of Africa for over 15 years. MAI first began sport through development activities in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1995 when founder Michael Finley relocated from the U.S. to South Africa to follow his passion of fostering youth development through the game of basketball. MAI has remained committed to the mission of building the industry of basketball in Africa as a tool for development.

Some of MAI’s key development highlights since 1995:

1. Constructed and refurbished over 500 basketball courts in more than 10 African countries.
2. Conceptualized, launched and implemented South Africa’s largest youth basketball league (a national high school & primary school league with over 50,000 players that all graduated from an 11 module life skills program)
3. Designed “HIV/AIDS prevention through sport” content package and trained more than 10,000 South African sports teachers to educate youth about HIV.
4. Secured scholarships for more than 25 African student athletes to attend American high schools and universities

Contact:

Petronella Nkosi

Miles and Associates International

PR liason

info@milesandassoc.com

Michael Finley, Director

Miles and Associates International

Michael@milesandassoc.com

Information provided by Michael Finley and edited by Victor Shakineza

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In the 2010 pilot phase of this programme we will graduate over 1000 primary school youth from our modular life skills programme and we will have over 200 male and female players from 20 primary schools competing in our basketball league.

We would be honored to have you attend this groundbreaking event where we will be conducting a basketball and life skills clinic for over 200 primary school learners.

Are You Game Launch Invitation (doc)

Press Release – Are You Game? (doc)

Information provided by Michael Finley

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Mobi Akiode

ESPN is running a series called “Her Story”. In one of the episodes, they profile a young Nigerian lady named Mobolaji (“Mobi”) Akiode who is making a difference to the game in Nigeria.

Mobi played for the Nigerian national team at one time, and also spent time living with her family in Newark, New Jersey, working for ESPN as an accountant.

After realising she had something to give, Mobi made a decision to contribute where she could. She was able to recruit ex-WNBA player Yolanda Griffiths to join her, and set up the Hope 4 Girls camp in Nigeria which does exactly that – provides hope for young girls, facilitated by a basketball camp.

This is an inspiring story, one about making a difference against the odds.

You can read more about Mobi’s story here, or watch the video here (it’s 1 hour 21 minutes long so be prepared)

There’s also an interesting chat with her here on ESPN SportsNation.

It’s wonderful to see people like Mobi who make a real difference to communities by using the game of basketball!

The Township Basketball League in Cape Town is another good example of how the game can be used to build and shape communities. Let’s hope we see many more of these stories coming out of Africa, and especially South Africa, in the near future.

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Zambia

If you’ve ever wondered whether there’s truth in the statement that “you do not get because you do not ask”, just ask the Zambia Basketball Association.

In an article titled “FIBA helps bring hope to Zambia”, FIBA’s willingness to invest in Africa and contribute to the development of growth and basketball was highlighted.

The International Olympic Committee (“IOC”) recently completed a brand new Olympic Youth Development Centre in Zambia. Apparently the facility cost around US$16 million, and amongst other things it features state-of-the-art basketball facilities.

But here’s the really interesting bit – in March 2008 when it was being developed, the IOC contacted FIBA to ask if they would get involved. FIBA agreed, and along with its associates, assisted in the construction of outdoor courts and provided the necessary equipment required (fixed and movable backstop units, game shot clocks, electronic scoreboards, uniforms, balls etc…) for those courts as well as for indoor multipurpose courts.

While the benefits to Zambian basketball will not be immediately visible, this is a key cornerstone in basketball development in Zambia, one which they will most likely reap the rewards of in years to come.

FIBA can be proud of its involvement in this project and commitment to development of the game of basketball.

Makes you wonder what would happen if the rest of us would only ask.

You can read the full article here.

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Senegal

Senegalese basketball has just elected a new president, Baba Tandian.

Just listen to some of Mr Tandian’s comments in this interview (a rough translation, I presume) published on FIBA Afrique, and consider how familiar the issues that Senegalese basketball is facing sound to us.

There is not any political hand behind my nomination. We expect to solve all financial difficulties hindering the good working of our sport

Change things entirely. Elected, we expect to solve all the financial difficulties hindering the good working of our sport.

Basketball is a common property and we have to do anything it takes for its development. I am not anyone  candidate. I’m coming  to bring new breath to that sport.

There will be sponsors. And we shall not accept pieces. It time for Basketball to take off.

I think that a strategy to remove basketball from the abyss is required. That goes through first by the setting up a good financial politics. That is to say that I have strategically partners which will not hesitate to support our efforts.

People have to be aware. We have to gather all our strength in order to rehabilitate this discipline. As President, I will do my best to give Senegal basketball the respect it deserves.

Interestingly, Mr Tandian repeats two important themes throughout the interview:

1. Respect – his words indicate a deep seated respect for the game and for the participants – a determination to improve the game for the benefit of the entire basketball community.
2. Funding – with a goal of solving “financial difficulties” and clearly wanting to involve sponsors and spend money on developing the game from a youth (“small”) level right through to professional levels, showing a belief that this is an absolute necessity to make progress.

From this interview it sounds like Mr Tandian is determined to make positive change in Senegalese basketball. Let’s hope it sets an example for all basketball programmes in Africa that are struggling to make headway.

Senegal team

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Their first event took place in Khayelitsha in May 2009, and they now have a high school division with 360 youth registered to play basketball in Khayelitsha across 14 schools.

Kahuthando is the spearhead behind this amazing initiative. They are a non-profit organisation, unfunded and resourced  by volunteers in South Africa and overseas.

Kahuthando and the TBL are looking for fellow basketball enthusiasts to help volunteer with the following for the High School division:

• Coaching – 2 days a week (the days are negotiable depending on school, ideally 2.30- 4.00)
• Team Managers – sourcing funders, ensuring coaching sessions happen, liasing with parents, oranising friendly games, securing equipment
• Graphic designers – to design logos for teams and tournaments (a number are already under way but more volunteers are needed)
• Fundraisers – for basketballs, kits, transport, league registration
• Marketing/ Public Relations volunteers
• Photographers/ journalists/ bloggers
• Sports courts campaigners – none of the 14 schools have adequate sports facilities/ courts and a majority of the local courts outside schools are pay to use courts without hoops (can supply pictures)
• Event organisers

If you can assist with any of this, please contact Emma Horgan on 0782552131 or email contact@kahuthando.com.

TBL - getting started

We look forward to bringing you updates about the unveiling of the high school teams in the near future.

You can connect with Kahuthando on their facebook page here.

TBL - early days

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"ready" by threecee, via flickr

I know you know how important youth basketball is since you’ve grown up playing the game. But even someone who doesn’t play can work it out if they have half a brain.

By youth, I am referring both to the real youngsters who struggle to get the ball up into a regulation hoop, as well as teenagers who play the game on full-size courts.

The fact is that without a strong youth development programme, the sport has no hope of a bright future.

International youth development

Internationally, this is rightly given the highest priority. While FIBA celebrates basketball at its highest level in the Olympics and the World Championships, they do not neglect the younger players but instead create huge tournaments for to provide as many growth and development opportunities as are possible. Some examples:

• FIBA u/17 World Championship for Men 2010 (2 – 11 July 2010, Germany)
• FIBA u/17 World Championship for Women 2010 (16 – 25 July 2010, France)
• FIBA u/19 World Championships for Men, Women (June, July 2011)
• FIBA u/16 and u/18 Continential Championships (2011)

You can see how much they have planned on the FIBA event schedule.

FIBA has now even gone as far as to push for basketball to be included at the Youth Olympic Games, with a specially designed game format too.

It’s clear that they are taking this very, very seriously.

Note: Besides the youth focus, it’s interesting to see how FIBA recognise and celebrate women’s basketball specifically – in addition to those above, they will also be hosting the FIBA World Championships for Women this year (in the Czech Republic) to complement the Men’s Championships being held.

South Africa’s youth development

"Basketball" by dorothy.voorhees, via flickr

It’s with this in mind that we can consider the question a lot of us here are asking – what development is really taking place in South Africa?

We recently had the bad news about our own local u/18 IPT (Inter Provincial Tournament) being cancelled, with the u/17 championships also having been cancelled (although thankfully there has been better news regarding the u/16′s, at least in certain provinces if not for the whole country).

This combined with the silence surrounding the team selection process for the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore in August this year (which South Africa is a confirmed participant, according to FIBA) is very unsettling.

Our own BSA has done little to shed any light on the current situation. We can only hope that they will soon start delivering on the strategic objectives they tabled in 2008, which included the development of mini basketball and youth programs, as well as the delivery of a proposal on national team programs.

It’s wisely said that “without vision, the people perish”. This might sound extreme, but could still certainly be applied to the development of basketball, where the youth need to see some sort of vision to believe in and work towards in order to progress the game.

For the sake of our basketball future, we need to be able to answer two simple questions:

1. what is the vision for basketball in South Africa? and
2. how will it be executed in order to encourage development?

BSA should play a key role, but we have a responsibility as well to ensure that the course is the best one possible.

We know it has to happen for us to move forward.

What do you think is the best way for us to do so?

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NEW YORK, Jan. 13, 2010 – Amadou Gallo Fall is joining the NBA on January 25 to serve as Vice President of Development for the NBA in Africa it was announced today by Heidi Ueberroth, President, NBA International.

Fall will be responsible for leading the NBA’s efforts to help grow the game and participation in Africa working with the local federations and basketball entities.  He will oversee the NBA’s grassroots events and its partnerships with marketing, media and consumer products companies.  Fall will start in the NBA’s New York office and then relocate to Johannesburg, South Africa this spring. 

Fall previously worked for the Dallas Mavericks as Director of Player Personnel and Vice President of International Affairs.  Fall served as the team’s goodwill ambassador internationally and oversaw their scouting assignments.  For the past five years, Fall has traveled to Africa as an integral part of the NBA’s Basketball without Borders program, the NBA and FIBA’s global elite basketball development program that also uses the sport to create positive social change in the areas of education, health and wellness.  Prior to his 12 years with the Mavericks, the Senegal native worked for the Senegalese Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Senegalese Basketball Federation.  The national team he assembled won the 1997 African Championship and participated in the 1998 World Championships in Greece.

“We’re pleased to have Amadou join the NBA and expect him to be a valuable contributor to the league’s international growth,” said Ueberroth.  “Amadou’s deep knowledge of basketball in Africa coupled with his 12 years of NBA experience provides a unique combination that will further develop the sport and our business in the region.”

Fall is a magna cum laude graduate of the University of the District of Columbia where he played center on the basketball team.

About the NBA

The NBA, founded in 1946, is a professional sports league and global business that features 30 teams in the United States and Canada.  During the 2009-10 season, NBA games will reach 215 countries and territories in 41 languages.  The league’s worldwide reach is also displayed in the 80 international players from 35 countries and territories on NBA rosters.  NBA merchandise is sold in more than 100,000 stores in 100 countries on six continents.  NBA.com averages more than 26 million page views per day, with more than 50 percent of the site’s visitors coming from outside of North America.  Through NBA Cares, the league, its teams and players have donated more than $115 million to charity, provided more than one million hours of hands-on service to communities around the world, and created more than 440 places where kids and families can live, learn, or play.

Information provided by Michael Finley

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Date : 25 October 2008

Venue  : Olympic House, JNB

Time : 09h00 to 14h00

Basketball SA Annual General Meeting Agenda

Chairperson: Dr. Malumbete Ralethe

Please note that the media will be addressed by the new president during the lunch.

Information provided by Tsepo Nyewe

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As preparation for the Zone 6 Games taking place in Potchefstroom in December 2008, selected boys and girls gathered at the High Performance Centre in the city of Tshwane from 29 September – 4 October 2008 for a camp. After arriving from different parts of the country, the players spent the first day acclimatising to the very hot weather conditions that Pretoria had to offer during that week while they were waiting for the late arrivals.

With both teams selected during the 2007 IPTs held in Pietermaritzburg, the coaches used the opportunity offered by these camps to assess and prepare for the games. Before the coaches could get the camp underway, they soon realised that they would not be able to use the LC de Villiers Indoor facility due to a communication error between various parties so they had to have their practices outside.

For the girls the technical team consists of Willie Matlakala as head coach, Emmerentia Ledwaba as assistant coach and Zanele Papa as the team manager. I had a chat about the camp and the progress the girls have made since the first camp held at Mandeville earlier in the year. They had planned for 3 practice sessions a day but due to the very hot weather they had to do with 2, early in the day and late in the afternoon.  The first camp was held at Mandeville during bitterly cold conditions of the South African winter; now the players had to contend with outdoor practice and the soaring heat of spring. With 4 new faces joining the team for this particular camp, the ones attending their second camp were more relaxed because they already knew what to expect and were familiar with the coaches and their methods. During this camp, the coaches worked on a lot of team aspects and managed to squeeze in a friendly against the Tuks ladies. After losing to the University of Pretoria, the coaches focused their next practice session on the team defence and the mental toughness of the players. With the posts needing to get a bit more aggressive before they face the likes of Angola, Mozambique, etc; Emma and Willie spent a lot of time challenging the girls and pushing them to raise their games. With Emma having played in the post position overseas and for the national team, she could impart her knowledge to the girls. She felt honoured to be coaching the national team and was happy that she was given this group of girls because she felt that they were still eager to learn. With the end of the year exams around the corner, it was impressive to hear that some of the girls were spending their free time studying.

For the boys the technical team consists of James Mtwetwa as head coach, Clement Kock as assistant and Monwabisi Planga as the team manager. If you consider the fact that the whole squad of boys selected for the U20 national team attended NBA’s Basketball Without Borders 2008 camp a few weeks back, you could say that this was their third camp. The boys coaches spent time working on plays, checking the physical conditioning of the team and getting them ready for the tough competition ahead by playing 4 friendly games against senior teams that ply their trade in the GBL and LOP leagues. The coaches were looking for the right attitudes from the players and most of them stepped up to the challenge of facing experienced opponents. Despite losing their games against Tuks, Pretoria Heat and Egoli Magic, the margin of defeat was small and in the bigger scheme of things these games were to prepare for the tournament. At the end of each camp, the players are given programs that they must work on until they assemble again. Speaking to James, he was satisfied with the progress made by his guards since the last camp and he is hopeful that by the time they meet up again the results will be better.

With both teams staying at the HPC, it was good to see that they got along just fine with the coaches sharing a meal every morning and the players mingling when they could. With the BSA elections around the corner, the words used by the coaches were: “WE HOPE FOR THE BEST”; and let’s hope this is a turning point so that we can provide these 2 teams and other teams around the country with a proper platform to shine.

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