A special basketball tournament which is staged in loving memory of the late Pa Modou Sarr, a former basketballer, will kick off today at the Serrekunda West Mini-stadium, Observer Sports reveal.

The much-anticipated tournament will gather eight basketball teams, mainly from The Gambia Disability Sports Association, to compete for the coveted title.

Prior to the championship, the family members of the deceased, yesterday presented basketball equipment to The Gambia Disability Sports Association in a successful build up to this year’s championship.

Presenting the outfits to association, Mr Andrew Jatta, a family member said they were very much delighted with the performance of the GDSA teams in last year’s championship, a scenario that prompted them to again throw their weight behind another edition. He said that the donated items are meant to prepare the participating teams for the year’s championship. He hailed Mr Samba Faal, the former SoS for Youth and Sports for sponsoring this year’s trophy.

Receiving the items, Mr Adrian Mills, a member of The Gambia Disability Sports Association thanked the Sarr family for what he described as a ‘magnanimous gesture’ towards his association. He said such a memorial tourney will not only help the loved ones remember the deceased but will go a long way to promote basketball in the country.

Suntu Jabang, the Vice President of the Gambia Disability Sports Association also expressed similar sentiments and called on the general public to throw their weight behind them.

The late Pa Modou was a promising basketballer before his untimely death in 2004 in United States.