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Ellina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE’S senior men national basketball team captain Taurai Chitsinde says there is still a lot of work that needs to be done if they are to match the standard and quality of other African countries.

This follows a disappointing show at the Afro-Basket Championships held in Tunis, Tunisia recently. Zimbabwe were making their debut appearance at the championships. Nigeria where crowned champions after beating 2013 champions, Angola 74-65, in the final while Tunisia came third.

Zimbabwe, who were in Group D alongside Algeria, Cape Verde and Cote d’Ivoire, finished bottom on position 16, after losing all their matches in the tournament. They played five matches at the tournament. The Zimbabwean delegation was expected back in the country on Wednesday night but according to a Press statement released by the Basketball Union of Zimbabwe on Thursday, they had to travel in batches due to some technical challenges.

The first group arrived on Wednesday. “The team was scheduled to travel from Tunis via Frankfurt, Munich, Johannesburg to Harare. Due to the technicality that does not allow transit through the two Germany cities without a visa, the team could not board.

“The association is now working flat out to get the team back home with the first two groups of 12 already on their way home,” read part of the statement. Chitsinde was part of the group that arrived yesterday and he said the country still has a long way to go if they are to match their counterparts on the continent.

“It was a marvellous experience per the team’s view. We went to high performance tournament where we had very professional athletes, talented as well as exposed to the game. So that in itself brought the exposure which is not necessarily enough for us going forward but we need to keep on performing at this kind of level so that we can also grow as the high performing African country.

“We still have a long road to go like I said before. We have been exposed to the better performing countries on the African continent. We still have a long way to go but that in itself is not to say we can’t get there. This trip was actually the stepping stone and given that we continue to qualify and participate in this tournament, that will allow us to grow and eventually prepare us to perform at those kind of levels,” said Chitsinde.

He said being the captain of the team making its maiden appearance at the championships and playing some of Africa’s top players was a humbling experience. The team had a week-long training camp in Germany ahead of the championships.

“It was wonderful, everything, the trip itself, the city of Tunis, Germany and participation against NBA players in my humble amateur status, that was quite an awesome trip. “It (Germany) was different, we were exposed to facilities, high performance facilities, something similar or even better to what we used in Tunisia.

“It would be nice that back home in Zimbabwe we have those kind of facilities available to us. Once we are used to playing in those kind of facilities I am pretty sure going again to participate in this kind of tournament we will be a bit different.

“It’s a privilege, I am extremely humbled by this opportunity. I am also highly encouraged to try and do this again. “The most important thing is never give up, we got to keep on putting in the effort until we get there,” said Chitsinde. BUZ president Addison Chiware said the last batch of the team, mainly consisting officials, is expected in the country today.