There was pomp and glamour over the weekend when National Bank of Malawi (Plc) launched the fourth edition of Mo626 College Basketball with prizes upped for both male and female categories.

Prize money for the winners, runners-up and third-placed teams have gone up to K5 million, K3 million and K2 million respectively, from the initial K2.5 million, K1.5 million and K750,000.

This follows NBM's renewed commitment to the sport as it unveiled a K450 million three-year sponsorship package for the competition from the previous K63 million last year.

Out of the K150 million annual sponsorship package, K50 million has been allocated to court facelifts at selected participating colleges, with the University of Malawi and Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR) benefitting this year.

During the launch, the men’s crown went to the Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences, who defeated MUST 55-44 while in the ladies’ category final, MUST won 21-5  over Kuhes. 

The bank's mobile and e-money services manager Enala Chirwa said the bank was happy to be back with a bang as they believe in supporting college basketball.

"It nurtures positive values determination, focus and team work in tertiary education.

"Mo626 College Basketball has become a tool for fostering inter-university student interaction. Mo626 College Basketball has been well aligned with other assets that the bank already has with university students’ bodies which include the Best Students Awards and scholarship programmes."

MUST Gorillaz team captain Paul Koloko said the increase in prizes will make the competition healthy for everyone:

"We are excited for this season. It has uplifted our fighting spirits."

Basmal president Chief Masabane Jere said the entire basketball family is grateful to NBM for its continued support.

“Money is not easy to find nowadays because of the tough economic times that the whole world is going through. We depend on such partners to keep the game going."

Jere explained this will help them to grow basketball into a household game expressing gratitude to National Bank for this unprecedented sponsorship.

Source: https://kulinji.nitel.mw/article/sports/2023/mo626-college-basketball-starts-bang