The Botswana Basketball Association (BBA) is grateful for the college scholarship awarded to basketball players to develop the sport. The sentiments were shared by BBA development coach, Shalosh Matsetse in an interview with The Sunday Standard Sports.
Every year, local elite basketball players are awarded full rite college scholarships to study abroad to maximise their basketball skills at a more competitive level where there are resources and proper trained personnel.
Matsetse advised players seeking scholarships from international colleges to consider their talents and abilities and work towards in improving them because of the competitiveness college basketball carries.
“The players have to reach their full potential in playing basketball and they should be strong both mentally and physically. I advice the players consider scholarships from countries in Europe and United States of America because of the higher level and intensity of basketball there”, he advised.
He added that BBA is benefiting from athletes that were offered scholarships because when they come back they continue to play basketball and share what have learn with others who did not have previdge to play abroad in advanced countries. BBA will continue to assist players to attain the scholarships so they can have more pool of players who will resource others across the country.
He noted that there is an agreement with the college and BBA that states that the players upon their return should share their knowledge and skills with the BBA athletes in the country. He said one of the athletes who benefited from these scholarships was a junior national team coach, Angela Joseph.
“The scholarships are a great benefit to BBA, athletes who have had exposure internationally on a regular basis tend to have a different mindset and approach about the sport due to the higher level of competition they have build up from abroad,” Matsetse said
He said two male athletes Bathusi Tirelo and Kago Motlhale are currently on a scholarship program in the USA, while this year 2019, BBA had one female athlete Katlego Tlale on scholarship.
