Basketball legend who attended the inaugural event Allison Feaster which marked the start of the school-based junior league for Tanzanian boys ages 12-14 it will feature 30 local schools, representing each of the 30 NBA teams.
He said the league for Tanzanian girls is scheduled to begin next year.
He further said the league’s global youth basketball participation program for boys and girls, teaches the fundamental skills as well as the core values of the game at the grassroots level, in an effort to help grow and improve the youth basketball experience for players, coaches and parents.
The legend said similar to the NBA, the 30 teams are divided into two conferences and six divisions. The top eight teams from each conference will qualify for the playoffs in October.
The top two teams from each conference will then meet in the league championship game to determine the first Jr. NBA League champion.
Feaster said during the 2015-16 season, the Jr. NBA will reach more than 6.5 million youth in 33 countries.
Speaking at the same event NBA vice president and managing director for Africa, Amadou Gallo said after the successful opening of the Youth Park last October, they are excited to launch the inaugural league in Tanzania.
“The newly established league will encourage young boys and girls to stay active and motivate others to come out and enjoy the game of basketball”, he said. “Gallo said he is visiting Tanzania for the first time but thrilled by seeing so many kids with a passion for the game of basketball.
“I am honored to have been a part of the tip-off of the first Jr. NBA League in this country”, he said.
_0.jpg?itok=QU87XW8D){kind=tracking}
.jpeg?itok=vCj6bCRe)
