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Davison Bhunu Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE’S hopes of qualifying for the 2021-FIBA African Championships were dashed after the national team came second in a preliminary round of qualifiers at the City Sports Centre at the weekend.

Madagascar won the ticket after winning the decisive match against the Zimbabweans 69-62.  The Indian Ocean islanders progressed to the next round of the qualifiers by winning a three-team pool, which also featured Zambia.

They had eight points, after winning all their round robin games, while Zimbabwe and Zambia had five points apiece.

Zimbabwe started their campaign with a 74-57 defeat to Madagascar before they bounced back and won 80-54 against Zambia.

But the Zambians fought back to beat their neighbours 78-55 in the reverse fixture.

Zimbabwe basketball team coach, Addison Chiware, felt his team could have done better at home.

“We were given a very short notice by Fiba Africa that we were going to host the tournament and, with the players coming from the festive season, we had very little time to train for the games,’’ said Chiware.

“The boys played well during the tournament but we were just short of shooters.

“The reason why one of our key players Vitalis Chikoko could not come for the tournament was because of the short notice of the tournament.

“As a professional player, there are certain procedures to be followed with his club for him to come here.’’

Madagascar, whose team started playing together since they were Under-16s, won the six-day round robin tournament after defeating both Zimbabwe and Zambia.

The Malagasy became the 18th team to secure a place in the 20-team FIBA Afro Basket 2021 Qualifiers, which kick off later this year.

They have also enhanced their chances of returning to Africa’s prime basketball for the first time since they hosted the tournament in 2011.

Madagascar are to be drawn in group A, which includes reigning African champions Tunisia, Central African Republic and Democratic Republic of Congo.

The president of Fiba Africa president, Anibal Manave, also expressed gratitude to the hosts Zimbabwe for holding the tournament successfully.

“Thank you Zimbabwe and Zambia for hosting and participating in the preliminaries of afro-basket,’’ said Manave.

“The easy qualification of Madagascar for most of you was a surprise but the team started paying together since Under-16 and about six payers are from the same club.

“This is an example to follow without many resources.’’ The tournament’s best performers were Madagascar’s Riha Lahontan, who had 67 points, followed by Zimbabwe’s Tatenda Matarure who had 55 points and Zambia’s Chongo Chona who had 53 points.