Ghana Basketball Association (GBBA) President Ato Van-Ess says Ghana hosting the 2023 FIBA Africa Under 16 serves as a reminder for stakeholders to invest more in building up Ghana’s sports infrastructure.
He said this in an interview after the opening game of this year’s zonal qualifiers that is being hosted at the Eden Height Sports Complex in Ghana’s capital, Accra from June 22 to June 24.
Addressing the importance of hosting such championships to provide avenues for players to compete, he added for Ghana to host higher profile sports events, the country needs a state of the arts facility.
“In playing this tournament, first of all, we are bringing international basketball to Ghana. Secondly, we are also exposing basketball to our kids…so when they see, they feel it, it’s very close to them. Again, it’s a qualifier so if we qualify, it gives us the opportunity too.
When we host such tournaments, then it tells the stakeholders that there is the need for us to have a (public) facility to be hosting such tournaments. This facility can host the Under 16 but it may not qualify to for the main (senior level) qualifiers.”
Ghana is competing with the likes of Cote D’Ivoire and Nigeria for qualification slots to the continental tournament. In the opening game, Nigeria beat Cote D’Ivoire 67-38.