The FIBA Africa U18 Championships return to Rwanda six years after they were held there with 12 teams battling for a place to represent the continent at next year’s FIBA U19 Men’s World Championships to be held in Egypt.
Unlike the other eleven countries, Uganda will be making their maiden appearance at the youth event slated for July 22-31 in Kigali.
Like it was for the Silverbacks last year during the Afrobasket in Tunisia, the junior side will also be in unfamiliar territory when they debut at the 2016 FIBA Africa U18 Championships at the Amahoro Indoor Stadium.
Uganda beat Kenya to qualify to for the tournament but given the preparation that head coach Nicholas Natuhereza termed as ‘tough’, the bar is not so high for the team.
“We know almost nothing about who we are playing and have never been at this stage. We hope we can get the best out of this group and make the best of the opportunity,” Natuhereza told Kawowo Sports.
Uganda joins Algeria, Angola, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Gabon, Mali, Benin, Tunisia, Zimbabwe and hosts Rwanda for the biennial tournament.
The draws that will pit teams in two groups of six will be conducted on Thursday.
The teams will play a round-robin format with every team taking on their five group opponents and the top four from each group advance to the quarter finals, where Group A will cross with Group B (A1-B4; A2-B3; A3-B2; A4-B1).
Team Uganda leaves for Kigali by road tonight and expected to reach tomorrow. The contingent has 19 people (12 players, 4 officials and 3 coaches)
Team Uganda
Officials:
Mohamed Santur Ghedi – HOD
Albert Ahabwe – Team Manager
Peter Kirabo – FIBA Referee
Isaac Otuk – Physio
Coaches:
Nicholas Natuhereza – Head coach
Ronald Bajunga -Assistant
Geron Holmes – Assistant
Players
Arion Osama
Bamutende Mark Patrick
Kasurra Joshua Grivin
Duallo Joshua Clement
Muhwezi Ivan
Ochieng Mathew Samuel
Okoth Henry
Ssentongo Elvis
Tamale Mark Keefa
Yiki Vincent
Ocen Innocent
Kasasa Gideon Mukisa
