MBABANE – Dunkylaine Lioners and Manzini Superstars ruled the MulaSport Basketball Trade Fair Cup in their respective finals at Mavuso Sports Centre this past Sunday.
The Lioners edged Amazons 53–48 in a closely-contested women’s final, while Manzini Superstars produced a commanding display to defeat Mbabane Jazz 76–54 in the men’s final.
For Dunkylaine Basketball Academy founder Mzwakhe Phiri, the Lioners’ triumph was a reward for their commitment and preparation. “Championships are won long before the final game,” Phiri said, highlighting the importance of training, teamwork, learning from mistakes and mental preparation. He said the victory reflected the academy’s slogan: “We finish what we started.”
Phiri also praised the Dunkylaine Lions for their development during the tournament, saying their performances showed the value of the fundamentals taught at the academy, including passing, ball movement, footwork and decision-making. He revealed that the academy is working towards opening a branch in Mozambique, as it seeks to create more international opportunities for young players.
Phiri highlighted Lerato Shongwe, who is currently representing Eswatini in Taiwan with NTSU University, as an example of the pathways created through the academy. He also expressed gratitude to MulaSport for sponsoring the tournament and supporting basketball development in Eswatini.
Meanwhile, Superstars Coach Size Nxumalo said the victory was particularly special following the team’s bronze-medal finish in the previous Winter Tournament. He noted that the squad was determined to avenge last year’s defeat to Jazz for the same trophy.
“Building on the momentum of our bronze-medal finish in the previous Winter Tournament, we are delighted to be crowned the Eswatini International Trade Fair Cup champions,” Nxumalo said. “Bearing in mind that we lost the same cup to Jazz last year, this time we were not going to let it go.”
Nxumalo added that the 76–54 victory demonstrated the team’s growth, discipline and championship character. He praised the players for their dedication and commended the technical team for their work behind the scenes in securing the title.
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