Edenvale Lions Basketball Academy prepares for The Vale Tournament
"From an organisation perspective we are trying to attract more sponsors and are appealing to corporates to get on board and assist with sponsorship.”
Preparations are well underway at Edenvale Lions Basketball Academy (ELBA) as it gears up to host The Vale Tournament (TVT) later this year.
The academy recently hosted its first TVT activation event at Eastgate Shopping Centre, where players showcased their talent on an indoor court as teams went head-to-head in a series of competitive matches.
ELBA founder and coach Edson Makavan described the activation as a major success.
“We are extremely grateful for Eastgate’s support in hosting the activation event and the tournament,” said Makavan.
He believes it was the first basketball tournament to be hosted inside a shopping centre in South Africa.
“It went well and was extremely successful. For the first activation event, there was a great turnout.
“People loved the event. The children, players and parents all had a great time. Everything was perfect and it was carried out nicely.”
Makavan said 10 teams from across Gauteng, including Ekurhuleni, Johannesburg South and Pretoria, participated in the event.
“Despite having to limit the number of participating players, the event was carried out nicely. There were no complaints and everyone enjoyed themselves.
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“The venue was very classy and everything went extremely smoothly.”
The academy plans to host a second TVT activation event in mid-July at Edenvale Sports Grounds, again attracting teams from across the region.
Later this year, ELBA will stage the main TVT in October, with the academy intending to host the tournament in either Cape Town or Limpopo.
“Preparations for the main tournament are well underway,” said Makavan.
“From an organisation perspective, we are trying to attract more sponsors and are appealing to corporates to get on board and assist with sponsorship.
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“This is a growing brand and we are heading in the right direction.”
Makavan said there were some minor problems, including misjudgements and miscalculations, during the academy’s first TVT, but those issues have since been ironed out.
He said ELBA is looking for sponsors willing to partner with the academy, young players and the basketball fraternity.
“As ELBA, we want basketball to grow and the youth to enjoy the sport as much as they can.”
