Women’s 3×3 basketball team returns in high spirits after solid performance in their first-ever international tournament
Namibia’s first-ever four-member national women’s 3×3 basketball team did their country proud at the recently concluded African Beach Games, taking the fourth position among twenty contesting nations.
The African Beach Games were held in Isla de Sal in Cape Verde from 14 to 23 June where 54 countries and 1000 athletes and players competed in 11 sport codes. This was the first time a Namibian women’s basketball team participated.
Namibia played a set of 7 games of which 4 were lost and 3 won to grant them 78 points. This and a bitter sweet loss against Team Nigeria, landed the ladies the fourth position. Nigeria took third with 90 points, second was Togo with 98 points and the women’s champions was team Mali with a whopping 114 points.
Mali also dominated in the men’s division by scooping first place with 101 points followed by Algeria in second position with 105 points and Cote d’Ivoire third with 95 points.
“This has served as great boost for female representation in basketball, and moreover in the sports community. The team of four have done a great service to the country by representing so well, being first-time participants in a competition of such magnitude,” said Jacobina Uushona who handles the team’s PR.
One of the players, Victoria Netumbo took part in a shooting competition, taking the second place in the women’s division. Another team member, Gie Mukumbuta, said she is proud of her fellow team mates and honoured to have taken part in such a competition. “My team mates and I have learnt so much during our time here and not only on the court. We hope to see Namibia take part in more competitive play like this in the coming years,” she said.
With support from the Namibia National Olympic Committee, the Namibian Basketball Federation was able to field a women’s team for these games. Next time the Federation hopes to have both genders attend and compete as well.
Caption: The Women’s National 3×3 Basketball Team, Gie Mukumbuta, Fiina Namwaapo, Victoria Netumbo and Sylvia Sawahenga, held the Namibian banner high at the African Beach Games in Cape Verde. The team eventually secured the fourth position among twenty competing nations.
