UNITED States basketball players Matt Bonner and Jennifer Azzi have promised to continue playing a key role in promotion of strong relations between Tanzania and the US in sports and develop basketball in Tanzania.
The two players were on a week-long tour in Tanzania to conduct basketball clinics for secondary schools students and street clubs in Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar in collaboration with the Tanzania Basketball Federation (TBF).
Bonner said during the programme’s closing ceremony at Don Bosco Youth Centre in the city yesterday that he was optimistic of sustainable good cooperation between Tanzania and US that will help to effectively promote the sport in Tanzania.
’’We will continue promoting good cooperation between Tanzania and the United States in basketball and help this country achieve success in the sport, which is the best in the world,’’ he said.
Azzi, on her part, stressed on the need for local basketball players to train regularly and work hard if they are to scale great heights in the sport.
’’You should keep on practicing regularly if you want to be good players in future,’’ she said.
The two also thanked their hosts TBF, Basketball Dar es Salaam (BD) and participants of the clinics for working closely throughout the week and making the programme a success.
Bonner, who plays for Toronto Raptors in the National Basketball Association (NBA) league, and Azzi, who won Olympic gold medal with US women basketball team, were in Dar es Salaam for the United States Sports Envoy Program, which featured basketball clinics.
The closing ceremony witnessed a series of events including the street basketball challenge finals in both boys’ and girls’ categories, three point scoring and dunking competitions in which winners were awarded basketballs.
Bonner also had the opportunity to demonstrate his possession and dribbling skills in front of the packed Don Bosco Youth Centre court and earned wild cheers the spectators.
