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Tedious Manyepo Sports Reporter
NATIONAL champions Harare City Hornets are confident they will grab gold at the 2017th edition of the Swaziland International Invitational tournament from June 23-25 in Mbabane.

The council-run club settled for silver after playing second fiddle to Jozi Nuggets of South Africa in the championship last year. But the reigning Harare Basketball A League kings believe they have now come of age.

Hornets secretary-general Forster Manezho said his team was raring to go. “We believe this is our year and we have already conquered all before us in the local scene. We are quite convinced we will win the Swaziland invitational tournament,’’ he said.

‘’We narrowly lost in the final last year but we are more prepared for this year’s edition of the championship. ‘’Every member of our club is keen to play their part and we are confident we will deliver the trophy home.

“This is a tournament that we want to win at all costs. We have won every tournament that we were involved in this year and it will only be right we wrap up the season with a podium finish in Swaziland.

‘’We know it is not going to be easy but, for a team to be competitive, they have to win tournaments of this magnitude.’’

Four men’s teams and as many women’s clubs from Zimbabwe will be part of the jamboree this year. Harare A league runners-up JBC, Hustlers and Foxes will all join Hornets in the men’s grouping at the tournament while women’s national champions Lakers, Vixens, Raiders and Green Stars will represent the country in the female category. The region’s most prestigious invitational tournament has attracted clubs from Malawi, South Africa, Botswana, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.