OLD NORTHLEANS TO GIANTS: THE 90s'
Giants basketball club was started by a group of ex Northlea High School players in the early 1990’s who were trying to find a space for themselves in the then Matabeleland Amateur Basketball Association. Perennial contenders for the provincial and national schools championships, Northlea had been long considered a feeder institution to then National Championship powerhouse Peking Stars. The young upstarts of the class of 1988,1989 and the early 90s decided to break with tradition and to form their own club and joined the men’s league.
In response to this Stars stepped up their recruitment from the school and a number of players left the ONs project to go back to Stars. Faced with a lack of talent Giants coach at the time Hilton Mendelsohn expanded recruitment beyond his old school landing a talented young core from Milton Boys High, Founders High as well as from as far afield as Falcon College in Esigodini.
By the 1995/96 season Old Northleans had become Cop then Kango Giants after gaining sponsorship for Lancelot Lewis’ Cop Security Systems and Kango Industries respectively. The team had at that point merged with Princess Lakers to for Giants womens team and had established themselves as contenders in both the MABA Mens and Womens leagues eventually winning their first Provincial Championships ending Peking Stars long run as undisputed champions of Matabeleland.
In the 1996 the burgeoning talents of Sam Katso, Bruce Jones, Greg Mutete, Shino Mutambo, Jeff Tigere, Pilani Ncube, Heath McCleod and Vusa Nyathi amongst others had begun to show the makings of something special. The recruitment of Emmanuel Mukandi from Waterfalls Trail Blazers in Harare proved to be the final step to make Giants become recognised as serious players on the national scene.
Giants qualified for the BUZ National Championships in the 1996/97 season meeting Harare based heavyweights and perennial champions or finalists, T Cavaliers in the semi finals, a team lead by Zimbabwe basketball legend Ronnie Garura. The young Giants more than held their own losing narrowly and earning the respect and commendation of their seasoned opponents.
