Sonny Side Of Sports - Voice Of America

On Wednesday's show, we'll hear from Amr Aboul Kheir, an Egyptian basketball coach and the former captain of his country's national men's team. Kheir says defending champion Zamalek of Egypt and Petro de Luanda of Angola are the strongest teams competing in the Nile Conference of the Basketball Africa League (BAL). Both BAL teams looked very strong on Tuesday when they routed their opponents in Cairo. Zamalek defeated South Africa's Cape Town Tigers, 101-to-77, and Petro beat Cobra Sport of South Sudan, 92-to-56.

Humphrey Onyanabo, the head coach of Nigeria's national U-18 boys basketball team, says the new Basketball Africa League (BAL) is a big boost to the development of the sport on the continent. Listen to Coach Onyanabo's comments on Tuesday's show, and also tune in for Sonny's preview of Tuesday's BAL games in Cairo, Egypt: Petro de Luanda (Angola) v Cobra Sport (South Sudan) Zamalek (Egypt) v Cape Town Tigers (South Africa) Petro and defending champion Zamalek both won their opening Nile Conference games by big margins. Petro pounded Cape Town, 90-61, and Zamalek defeated Cobra Sport, 80-63.

On Monday's show, we'll hear from Egyptian player Anas Mahmoud of reigning Basketball Africa League (BAL) champion Zamalek. Mahmoud was named the BAL's Defensive Player of the Year in 2021. Over the weekend, he demonstrated his defensive skills when he blocked a game-high seven shots in Zamalek's 80-63 victory over Cobra Sport of South Sudan. The photo shows Mahmoud blocking a shot for the University of Louisville in 2018. He'll be back on the court Tuesday when Zamalek hosts the Cape Town Tigers in Cairo, and Petro de Luanda plays Cobra Sport in BAL action.

The men's Basketball Africa League (BAL) will resume its second season Saturday when defending champion Zamalek of Egypt will host Cobra Sport of South Sudan in the opening Nile Conference game. Malian Big Man Cheick Thiero of the VOA's French to Africa Service joins Sonny on Friday's show for an entertaining and informative BAL chat that you simply won't want to miss. Also on the program, we'll hear from Cameroonian forward Pascal Siakam of the NBA's Toronto Raptors team. Siakam posted his third career triple-double Thursday night in Toronto's 119-114 victory over the visiting Philadelphia 76ers.

South Sudan's Cobra Sport club will be making its debut in the men's Basketball Africa League (BAL) this coming weekend. The Juba-based team has a tough opening game on Saturday when it plays defending BAL champion Zamalek of Egypt in Cairo. On Thursday's show, we'll hear from Cobra Sport's head coach, Manyang Gabriel Berberi, who talks about his roster; the team's preparations; and he has a message for fans in South Sudan.

Cameroonian basketball star Joel Embiid had another big game for the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday night. The NBA's leading scorer fired in 45 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in Philadelphia's 131-122 road win against the Indiana Pacers. Sonny will recap Embiid's heroics on Wednesday's show and he'll also preview the upcoming Nile Conference games in the Basketball Africa League (BAL). 2021 BAL champion Zamalek of Egypt will host debutante Cobra Sport of South Sudan in the opening conference game Saturday in Cairo.

Kansas guard Ochai Agbaji celebrates after his team beat North Carolina Monday night, 72-69, to win the national title in US men's college basketball. "The Jayhawks" of Kansas rallied from a 16-point halftime deficit to complete the largest comeback in championship game history and win their fourth national title. The 21-year-old Agbaji, whose father is from Nigeria, was named the NCAA basketball tournament's Most Outstanding Player. We'll hear post-game comments from Agbaji, as well as teammates David McCormack, Remy Martin and Mitch Lightfoot on Tuesday's show. And yes, Ochai Agbaji and "The Jayhawks" get an official Sonny Side of Sports salute!

On Monday's show, Football Association of Zambia Communications Manager Sydney Mungala will comment on the recent death of Zambian doctor Joseph Kabungo after a World Cup qualifying match between Nigeria and Ghana in Abuja. Also on the program, Fisayo Dairo, the chief football writer at www.aclsports.com, looks at Groups A and D in the 2022 World Cup draw. And Prince Nesta has highlights from the weekend in the major European club football leagues.

The Angolan club Petro de Luanda is hoping to advance to the final in its second season in the men's Basketball Africa League (BAL). Petro reached the semifinals last year, before losing to eventual BAL champion Zamalek of Egypt, 89-71. VOA's Joao Santarita tips off Friday's show with a team profile of Petro de Luanda. Joao describes veteran forward Leonel Paulo (in photo) as one of the most influential players on the team.

Flags promoting the World Cup line the streets of Doha, Qatar, ahead of Friday's draw for football's premier event. VOA's Gwen Outen will kick off Thursday's show with a feature on the World Cup. There will also be World Cup reports from "Iron Mike" Mbonye, Timothy Obiezu and Yaw Ofosu Larbi.

"It's the best possible birthday present I could've had,” said Ghana's President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, saluting his country's national football team, "The Black Stars," for their fourth World Cup qualification. We'll hear comments by the Ghanaian President on Wednesday's show. There were celebrations in Ghana, Cameroon, Senegal, Morocco and Tunisia, as football fans in those countries waved their flags high in honor of advancing to the World Cup. Sonny will have lots of World Cup news on Wednesday, so tune in!

Kenya held its first ever all women auto rally competition on Sunday. Called the Lioness Rally, the race attracted eight teams, all made up of female drivers. Organizers hope the inaugural race will attract more women to motor sports. VOA's Gwen Outen will have a story on Tuesday's show. Meanwhile, it's a big day in African men's football. Five teams will officially qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. African football analyst Emmanuel Okara will look at some of the African qualifiers.

The Quest for Qatar will have Africa in action Tuesday with football matches in Senegal, Algeria, Nigeria, Morocco and Tunisia. When the World Cup qualifying fixtures are complete, five African teams will officially book their tickets to the sport's premier event. On Monday's show, Sonny will feature World Cup qualifying reports from Samson Omale, "Iron Mike" Mbonye, Kwabena "Quicksilver" Ofori and Prince Nesta.

It's a big day in African men's football. There are World Cup qualifying playoff matches scheduled in Egypt, Ghana, Mali, Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In a rematch of last month's Africa Cup of Nations final, Egypt will host Senegal. The Senegalese beat the Egyptians on penalty kicks, 4-2, in Cameroon, to lift their first Nations Cup trophy. African football analyst Lekan Ike will look at the Cameroon v Algeria playoff on Friday's show, and Sonny will have lots more football news.

Otto Addo, the interim head coach of Ghana's national football team, is calling on the support of all Ghanaians ahead of Friday's big World Cup qualifier against Nigeria in Kumasi. We'll hear Coach Addo's comments on Thursday's show. The Ghana v Nigeria match is one of five World Cup qualifiers scheduled in Africa on Friday. After second leg matches on March 29th, five African teams will advance to the 2022 World Cup tournament in Qatar.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino says more than 20,000 volunteers are expected when the World Cup football tournament kicks off in Qatar November 21st. VOA's Gwen Outen has a story on Wednesday's show of Infantino officially launching a volunteer program in Doha, Qatar. Also on the program, African football analyst Emmanuel Okara looks at Friday's Egypt versus Senegal World Cup qualifier, a rematch of last month's Africa Cup of Nations final in Cameroon. Senegal beat Egypt on penalty kicks, 4-2, to lift its first Nations Cup trophy.

Ghana will host Nigeria in one of five FIFA World Cup qualifying matches to be played in Africa on Friday. Former Ghanaian international Sulley Muntari says it's unfortunate Ghana has to play Nigeria at this stage, an opponent he describes as "our own brothers." Muntari is shown in the photo at a training session at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. We'll hear Muntari's comments on Tuesday's show. Also on the program, Mugume Davis Rwakaringi has part two of a feature profile of the Ugandan Shilla Omuriwe-Buyongo, the first woman to coach a men's national volleyball team in Africa.

Moroccan winger Hakim Ziyech (L) celebrates scoring Chelsea's second goal with teammate Romelu Lukaku in a 2-0 FA Cup quarterfinal win against Middlesbrough over the weekend. Ziyech reflects on Chelsea's performance on Monday's show. Also on the program, the chief football writer at www.aclsports.com, Fisayo Dairo, looks at this week's Ghana v Nigeria World Cup qualifying playoff.

VOA's Sonny Young brings you the latest sports news and trends as well as questions and comments from sports fans around Africa and the world.

VOA's Sonny Young brings you the latest sports news and trends as well as questions and comments from sports fans around Africa and the world.