Jonathan Jordan hopes to use his experience to help Namuwongo Blazers reach the 2027 Basketball Africa League (BAL) as the qualifying campaign starts next week in Hoima.
The guard, who reached the semifinals last season with Al Ahly SC (Egypt), wants to go a step further with the Blazers, who have built a competitive squad for the Road to BAL.
“I’m excited about the opportunity; I’m happy to be here [in Uganda]. We have a really good group of guys, a really good staff, really good coaches. I’m excited to get this season on the road,” Jordan said.
Jordan believes the Blazers have the right balance of shooting, size and experience to compete against their regional rivals.
“We have a lot of versatility; we got shooters, we got big guys that can close up, myself and other guards that have a lot of experience with national teams and with local teams,” he said.
“We’ve got a really, really good group of guys and I’m excited for the opportunity. We are going to ride on experience”
Jordan’s previous BAL campaigns give him a better understanding of what it takes to compete at that level. He hopes to use that experience to guide his new teammates through the qualifiers and beyond.
“This is my fourth BAL opportunity. Last season I made it to the semifinals, and so hopefully I can use some of the experience and help these guys in this group get to not only the semifinals; hopefully we can get to the finals, but it starts now with the Road to BAL,” he added.
For the Blazers, the immediate challenge is to make the most of their home advantage and secure a place in the Elite 16.
The other additions to the roster that the Blazers made are Senegalese forward Marthar Gueye, Nigerian forward Peter Olisemeka, American shooting guard Richaud Pack and Uganda’s rising shooting guard Edrine Ekau.
The Road to BAL 2027 East Division Group D qualifiers will run from October 21 to October 25 at Hoima City Arena in Hoima.
Namuwongo will face Urunani BC of Burundi, Patriots Basketball Club of South Sudan, COSPN of Madagascar and Ushundzi Basket of Comoros.
The five teams will play a round-robin group stage, with the top two advancing to the Elite 16, scheduled for November 17–22 in Nairobi, Kenya.
Progression to the Elite 16 will keep the Blazers on course for a place in the 2027 BAL season, the ultimate prize for the teams competing in the qualification pathway.
With Hernandez and long-serving coach Stephen Nyeko leading the team and five new players in the fold, Namuwongo will hope to make their home campaign count.