The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The National Council of Sports has flagged off the Uganda National Basketball team, the Silverbacks to Monastir, Tunisia for the second FIBA Afro Basket 2021 qualifiers. The qualifiers have been scheduled for February 19-21, 2021.
The team under the management of assistant coach Mande Juruni has spent a full month in training at the African Bible University.
Foreign-based players that include Eric Rwahirwe, Robinson Opong, Deng Geu Arthur Kaluma and Ismail Wainwrights have not been part of the team that has been training, but the FUBA President Nasser Serunjoji says they have been training in their respective clubs and he believes they are ready for the challenge .
“All our foreign-based players have been working out hard because they have been competing back in their respective leagues and we expect them to be ready,” Serunjoji said.
The Chairman of the National Council of Sports Dr Donald Rukare promised to support the team during the tournament.
“You have full support from Government, I congratulate FUBA for persistence and to ensure that the team is put in the right shape and we shall be following you to ensure that you get the needed victory,” Dr Rukare said.
The silverbacks are second in Group E with 5 points, the group is led by Egypt, Cape Verde third and Morocco is the last. The Silverbacks will be looking forward to finishing inside the top three to book a slot at the finals in Kigali Rwanda from August 24 to September 5.
Uganda started the Afro Basket qualifiers campaign with a promising performance after winning two games out the three they played in Group E.
The AfroBasket 2021 tournament will be the 30th edition of the AfroBasket, a men’s basketball continental championship of Africa the tournament will be held in Rwanda who qualified automatically as hosts.
It was originally scheduled to take place between 17 and 29 August 2021, but it was postponed by a week due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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