Basketball loyalty and towering dunk-master and one of the greatest B-ballers of all time, living legend, Michael Jordan, once said that talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships.
The Black Cat, a moniker Michael Jordan was popularly known in the basketball echelons during his hey and peek days, has always emphasized the importance of putting the team above personal goals and playing smart.
It appears, though, that the perennial winners in the Bank of the nation’s college basketball champions, lives on Michael Jordan’s mantra of putting team above personal triumphs, as they have been on a winning streak back to back.
They defended their honour and their supremacy with everything they are and have as a team.
The staggering K450 million National Bank of Malawi (NBM) plc’s Mo626 College Basketball Tournament wrapped up spectacularly as Malawi Assemblies of God University (MAGU) men and women teams successfully defended the championship.
Both teams walked away with K5 million and trophies each in two thrilling championship finals played at ABC Blue Gym in Lilongwe at the weekend.
After a successful semi-final encounter on Friday, the action-packed day on Saturday kicked off with a thrilling bronze medal clash in the women’s category, where MUBAS edged MZUNI 37-35 to claim third place.
In the men’s bronze match, UNILIL powered past the UNIMA Hawks with a dominant 72-48 win.
The excitement peaked in the women’s final as MAGU and UNILIL battled fiercely for the title.
MAGU’s She-Wolves emerged victorious with a tight 52-48 win.
The grand finale saw the MAGU Wolves face ABC Lions in a gripping men’s showdown and in a last-minute thriller, the Wolves triumphed 45-41.
MAGU’s Orlyn Londo and Peter Mapunde were honoured as the Most Valuable Players (MVPs) in the ladies and men’s categories respectively.
“This is beyond amazing! Being named MVP and winning the tournament feels like a dream. We gave our hearts into every game, and to come out on top is just incredible. Defending our title was our mission, and we made it happen.
“I am so proud to bring this victory home for MAGU,” expressed Mapunde.
NBM plc Chief Financial Officer Daniel Jere, expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the tournament saying it has been a resounding success, celebrating the spirit, skill, and passion of Malawi’s young athletes.
“We are very encouraged by the response we have seen from both the colleges that have participated in this tournament, the fans at large, and all our customer base, because this tournament has delivered a lot of excitement, especially amongst the college teams that participated.”
“Two weeks ago, we were at the Malawian University of Science and Technology (MUST), and we, indeed, saw the badge that was there with the Mo626 College Basketball Tournament.”
“This tournament is getting bigger with each passing year, and we are very encouraged by what we are seeing. As a Bank, our plans for this tournament can only be to get it to grow bigger. From where we started 16 years ago to the current year, we’ve seen enormous growth, and we believe that this brand has the potential to grow further, and it is in our interest to see the tournament even grow bigger and better,” said Jere.
Basketball Association of Malawi (BASMAL), Vice President Banthari Banda, congratulated MAGU for defending the Mo626 title and saying this year the competition tough.
“There were no small teams, and all the teams were prepared. So, starting with the Ladies’ Finals, it was a mouth-watering game. The men’s as well, we saw the exciting game and at the end of the day, the best teams won. Furthermore, I would like to thank NBM plc for this partnership which has unearthed big talent from the universities and colleges in the country.”
“We are happy that the country is now getting awareness of this particular sport, which in the past was mostly known in colleges and a few secondary schools. So, as BASMAL, we are committed to working with NBM plc in the development of Basketball,” said Banda.
Apart from cash and the trophy and cash, the champions also got NBM plc branded caps.
“This tournament is getting bigger with each passing year, and we’re very encouraged by what we are seeing.”
Daniel Jere
NBM Chief Financial Officer
