Teams that survived the regional stages of the Mo626 Varsity Games have been warned that tougher battles await them at the national championship.

Basketball Association of Malawi (BASMAL) Technical Director Hope Chisamanga issued the warning after the regional zone games at the University of Malawi (UNIMA) in Zomba.

Chisamanga said several teams had shown improvement but warned that progressing through the regional stages should not make them complacent.

“The players should not be comfortable. They need to work extra hard, as the games are just getting started,” said Chisamanga.

He said the competition gives university students a platform to test their abilities while helping develop basketball in Malawi.

Chisamanga credited National Bank of Malawi (NBM) plc for supporting the competition.

NBM plc Marketing and Corporate Affairs Manager Akossa Mphepo-Hiwa said the bank was pleased with the progress of the games as the competition approaches its final stage.

“As a Bank, empowering young people is one of our commitments, and the Mo626 Varsity Games are one of a kind. They have created a platform for university students to showcase their sporting abilities, and we are happy to see this,” said Mphepo-Hiwa.

The regional games produced several competitive encounters, including MUST’s narrow 33-31 victory over UNIMA in the men’s category.

MUBAS also defeated MUST 42-33, while Malawi College of Accountancy (MCA) beat DMI University 56-37.

In the women’s category, MUBAS thrashed UNIMA 64-6, while MUST defeated the Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHeS) 31-15.

KUHeS later bounced back with a 25-8 victory over DMI University.

The teams now face the next stage of the competition, where they will battle for the national championship title.