#zba

basketball in zambia is administered by the zambia basketball association (ZBA), which joined FIBA in 1962 — two years before independence. as of february 2025, zambia's men's national team is ranked 143rd by FIBA. the team has never appeared at an olympic games or a FIBA world cup.

zambia's only appearance at the FIBA africa championship — afrobasket — came in 1989, in angola, where the team lost all five of its games and finished 10th. and yet, by the series' standard of "results relative to participation," 1989 is described as zambia's best year — the team finished in africa's top ten, ahead of kenya, in its only continental championship appearance to date.

the result that matters: at the afrobasket 2017 qualification, zambia beat south africa for the first time in history. for a programme ranked in the 140s, a victory over a far more established basketball nation is the kind of result a developing programme points to as evidence of what's possible.

the domestic league: the matero magic — nicknamed the tamanga boys, founded 1996, based in matero — have won the zambian league a record 12 times, captained by chongo chona under head coach obed shamboko. the munali suns — founded 2014, based in munali — won their first championship in the 2022-23 season, defeating matero magic. as national champions, the munali suns became the third zambian team to play in the road to BAL — the qualification pathway to the basketball africa league, the continental professional competition backed by the NBA.

the youth pipeline: in 2023, zambia's national under-16 team qualified for the FIBA under-16 african championship in tunisia via a wildcard entry, following a silver-medal finish at the 2022 african union sports council region 5 games in lilongwe, malawi. players drawn primarily from the teulings youth sports challenge — a development programme hosted at the zambia olympic youth development centre. in december 2022, zambia's women's under-16 team finished as silver medallists in the zone 6 qualifiers — part of a long-term youth development strategy including national youth championships and regional basketball "hubsites" across the country.

a FIBA ranking in the 140s. a single afrobasket appearance, thirty-six years ago. a historic win over south africa. two lusaka clubs feeding a continental pathway. a youth development centre producing wildcard qualifiers. basketball in zambia is a sport still building its foundations — but the foundations are being laid.

Pleasant Street 40B inches closer to approval #IpswichMA

IPSWICH — The plan to build four houses on a quarter-acre lot on Pleasant Street is inching closer to approval. First heard by the zoning board of appeals (ZBA) in August 2018, the application is using the state’s 40B law to bypass most local zoning if at least 25% of the units are affordable. From the outset, the plan drew strong neighborhood opposition due to density, traffic and…

ZBA seeks more affordability on Essex Road project #IpswichMA

IPSWICH — The zoning baord of appeals (ZBA) has made some late changes to its decision on the Essex Road 40B project. At its third special meeting to work on the draft decision — the final document will be decided at Monday night’s meeting — the board unanimously said the affordable apartments should be truly affordable for the Ipswich housing market. In return, it was willing to accept fewer…

ZBA makes preliminary cuts to Essex Road 40B #IpswichMA

IPSWICH — Saying more usable open area needs to be provided at the Essex Road 40B, the ZBA has cut one building and one townhouse from plans submitted by the developer. It also cut six apartments from one of the other buildings. The result was a 40-unit decrease — just over one-fifth or 20.1% — from the 191 sought by landowner John Bruni. However, the board has not taken a final vote on the…

Letter: Town now needs to use means to reduce Essex Road 40B #IpswichMA

Our Zoning Board of Appeals members contribute untold hours of personal time on behalf of the town and they deserve our thanks. They are also given the power to make decisions that can change our neighborhoods and impact our town’s character and resources.  In the case of the Essex Road 40B, they have the ability to consider the almost 40 waivers requested by the developer, John Bruni. If all…

Letter: Control Essex Road 40B by every principled means possible #IpswichMA

The 191-unit 40B development proposed on the Bruni property continues to raise the outrage of Ipswich’s residents. Many citizens however are still under the mistaken assumption that nothing can be done to stop or limit it. This is most definitely not true. According to the Massachusetts Housing Partnerships 40B Handbook for Zoning Boards of Appeal, the Zoning Board is legally expected to impose…

Letter: Bruni Project presents a threat to the Ipswich we know and love #IpswichMA

The Bruni Project (Essex Pastures) has been undergoing review by the ZBA for over two years.  During that time the board has looked at the many issues pertaining to this enormous project: water usage, traffic, public safety, zoning, conservation concerns, etc.  At the last meeting the developer made requests for some 40 waivers to our town’s zoning requirements and regulations. But when pressed…

Letter: ZBA has significant opportunity to reduce Essex Pastures project density #IpswichMA

One of the more significant concerns for many citizens related to the Essex Pastures application has been density. In the opinion of the town-appointed attorneys for the ZBA, there is a reasonable means of driving the applicant to address that concern.  For those who tuned in early for the ICAM broadcast of the most recent March 26 ZBA special meeting for the Essex Pastures application on Essex…