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Tadious Manyepo
Sports Reporter
AFTER making history as the first ever female coach to lead a men’s club in the Harare Basketball Association’s A League, Arcadia Bucs mentor Viv Manuel says she is encouraged following her team’s 52-36 win over Cameo over the weekend.

The Zimbabwe senior women’s basketball team manager took over the reins at Bucs from her husband, Craig, who has work commitments to attend to. And Manuel didn’t disappoint in her very first task with her team in relentless spirit as they overcame a well-drilled Cameo side coached by one of the top basketball brains in the country, Rodrick Takawira.

And at a time when the country is commemorating the 16-days of activism against Gender Based Violence, Manuel says the feeling is incredible. “The feeling is a good one. It’s not going to be an easy challenge, but I will try my best to achieve the best results. I still have a lot to learn from the experienced fellow male coaches that coach in the league with me. I pray that in time it should get easier,” she said.

Manuel has always been in the game of basketball, having started her romance with the sport while still a student at Marondera High School. After school, Manuel was recruited by one of the iconic clubs, Trackers, which dominated the scene back in the 1990s before she retired to start her family.

But, she decided to come back to the game in 2009 albeit at a social level playing for Hellaz before they joined the Arcadia Bucs’ franchise upon their return to the top-flight.

With Covid-19 disrupting action last year, Manuel decided to venture more into coaching, having acquired the FIBA Level 1 Coaching Licence in 2019. She has been coaching the Arcadia Bucs’ feeder side, Cubs, before she was handed the stick by her husband prior to the second week fixtures.

HBA Results Week 2

Men A

Arcadia Bucs 52-36 Cameo

Raiders 20-0 Assassins

Foxes 89-39 Cheetahs

UZ Stars 64-70 Leopards Academy

Harare City Hornets 68-37 Hustlers

Women A

Raiders 20-0 Black Rhinos

Arcadia Bucs 13-57 Harare City Hornets

Men B

Galacticos 46-35 Conquerors

Southside Ballers 43-49 Drifters

Old Boys 48-43Mabvuku

FML 56-45 Cavaliers

Black Rhinos 45-47 GV Rockets

Cousins 57-52 Transformers

Harare Sons 56-41 Wild Hogs

Mbare Bulls 57-33 Preachers

Women B

FML 35-16 Dribble Queens

Lady Lynx 24-25 Fillies