Uganda National Men’s U18 Basketball side, Junior Silverbacks, were on Tuesday flagged off for the FIBA U18 African Championship.
The tournament to be played in Bamako, Mali from August 24 to September 2, 2018 has attracted 12 countries including Uganda who earned a wild card to compete at the event having finished second at the regional Zone V qualifiers last month in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
And head coach Nicholas Natuhereza is excited to be part of the continental championship.
“We got this opportunity through a wild card but we don’t take it lightly,” Natuhereza said. “I think each time you get an opportunity you don’t take it for granted. We have had practice for a couple of days from last week and I hope it’s enough for us to be successful.
“However, it’s more important for the exposure we get at this level with the experience and what we can learn as a team and coaches so I’m personally excited.”
The finalists of this championship will earn the right to represent the continent at the 2019 FIBA U-19 Basketball World Cup.
Natuhereza believes it’s unrealistic from the coach’s point of view to look at the two positions as possible given the personnel.
“With my experience I know that it’s very tough and I know what’s out there and I think i our preparations as the coaching staff we tried to prepare for that.
“I can not say we are eyeing one of the two spots but this is sport, we are going to compete. We are going to do our very best and see where that lands us but we can’t leave here and say we are going to beat all teams there. I think that will be honestly unrealistic from my stand as a coach.
“It’s going to be tough but our job is to do our very best to get all we can out of this group, and if it lands us the two spots then be it.
Asked about how important the size of the team (compared to the group he had in 2016 in Rwanda) will be at the tournament, the UCU coach said: “We are not big necessarily but we are may be bigger and I don’t think that is going to make us better or much worse but I think overall we have a much better prepared team than the last time round, may be that could give us an edge.”
Angola, Egypt, Tunisia, Rwanda, Senegal, Algeria, DR Congo, Mali, Libya, Ivory Coast and Guinea are the other team at the biennial continental youth championship.
Travelling Contingent:
Players: Fayed Bbale (Captain), Cranmer Wamala, Roxine Ahumuza, Raymond Iriama, Rogers Dauna, Livingstone Kimambo, Edrine Walujjo, Arnold Kisekka, Seibe Masiko, Kevin Kasobya
Coaches: Nicholas Natuhereza (Head Coach), Ronald Bajjunga (Assistant Coach).
Referee: Baker Kyambadde
Am happy for the junior silverbacks for that wildcard to FIBA 2019 championship qualifiers as they rub shoulders with best.wish them well and i will be following proceedings. Thanks