Staff Reporter

The Namibia Basketball Federation (NBF) has appointed Manuel Carballo as the new head coach for the senior national men’s and women’s basketball teams, while Mao Mpoyi will be in charge of the U-23 men’s team and Mpume Hlabangana will manage the U-23 women’s team.  Linda Melusi will head both the men’s and women’s U-20 teams. Sydney Skrywer was appointed as the U-18 men’s coach, while Alexander Kapepu will head the U-18 women’s team.

This comes after the federation advertised the positions last month. Speaking to this publication last week, NBF secretary general Titus Mwahafa said the appointment of junior team coaches will allow them to properly assemble a strong U-18 team that will compete in the Region 5 Youth Games slated for December in Maseru, Lesotho.

“The competition will serve as a qualifier for the African continental competition slated for next year. The coaches being appointed now have come at the right time because the players will need someone to properly guide them into the competition,” he said.

Mwahafa added that all coaches were selected fairly. The panel which made the appointments consisted of NBF representatives Nigel Mubita, Elifas Hafidi and Titus Mwahafa; Dr Ndeulipulwa Hamutumwa from Namscore Sports Consultancy; Salome Iyambo of the Namibia Sports Commission; Joan Smith from the Namibia National Olympic Committee; Louis Kiggundu of Vivo Energy; and MTC’s Fikameni Mathias.

Meanwhile, the men’s and women’s leagues will commence at the beginning of next month.