When the 2017 FIBA AfroBasket Zone V qualifiers tip off in Cairo, Egypt in March, the host nation will be looking at winning gold and nothing less.
The team’s head coach Juan Orenga, in an interview with FIBA Africa, revealed that the team will have one goal-to win the championship.
“The main objective is to qualify for the AfroBasket and try to go up against teams like Senegal, Nigeria and Angola who have dominated the game in Africa. It’s a challenge that we’ll like to face.” Orenga said in an interview with FIBA.com
Egypt will host the tournament in Cairo with Zone 5 countries like Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, South Sudan, Burundi, Tanzania and Somalia expected to make an appearance to compete for the two available slots to the finals slated for August 19-30.
Orenga has already selected a team of 19 players, seven of whom were at the finals in 2015, to prepare for the event.
2015 Zone V MVP Amr Gendy is one of the selected players for the North Africans.
The two teams that finish top of the Zone 5 Qualifiers will play at the finals to be hosted by Congo Brazzaville.
Egypt have already tested silverware this year having won the Arab Championship 2017 in Cairo after beating Morocco in the final.
The Pharaohs started their preparations early February and will camp in Dubai where they are expected to play five trial games prior to the tournament.
Egypt have their eye on qualifying for the AfroBasket and later on competing in the Qualifiers for the World Cup 2019.
Egypt dominated the Zone V tourney hosted in Uganda in 2014 and finished the event with four wins in as many games.
Orenga also revealed that he doesn’t know much about the opponents but would do everything possible in preparation for the event.
“Right now, I don’t know much about our opponents [from Zone 5] but I am scouting them, and watching films from the 2015 Qualifiers,” Orenga explained.
Egypt team summoned
Kareem Dahsham
Ibrahim El Gammal
Mohamed Abou El Nasr
Hammad Fathy
Amr Gendy
Ahmed Hesham
Ramy Ibrahim
Haytham Kamal
Mustafa Mekawy
Mustafa Meshal
Ahmed Mohamed
Ahmed Muheeb
Motaz Okasha
Rumain Sameh
Saif Samir
Youssef Shousha
Mohamed Tara
Omar Oraby Tarek
Mohamed Younis