Basketball in Africa

The 2014 FIBA Africa Zone V Nations Qualifiers were launched last week. The week long annual event is set to tip-off on Monday, September 22 at the MTN Arena in Lugogo.
It has been a decade since Uganda topped the region and was the last time the qualifiers were hosted here in Kampala. Silverbacks’ forward and captain, Steven Omony is well aware of what they are up to. “It has been long but we need to change that” he says.
Even when the tournament date was moved from June to September, they were not derailed and remained focused.
“When we went back to our teams (in June) after tournament was postponed, each of us knew what to do. We talked about it before we left (the camp)” Omony said. “There is a lot of morale in the camp, the spirits are high and we are re-establishing our team chemistry” Omony told Kawowo Sports.
Uganda has in the recent past failed to beat up on the zone heavy weights and finished fifth in the last encounter in Tanzania but the skipper believes they should be able to play the championship game on the home court.
“We are working aggressively because we are aware of the challenge” the star forward said. “We have had narrow misses on our previous encounters but we are going for glory this time”
Coach Mandy Juruni will officially announce his final 12 players tomorrow but reports say four foreign based players have been named on the team and will be in the camp by Wednesday, four from City Oilers and one from Power, Falcons, Warriors and UCU Canons.
Full Team: Ben Komakech, Jimmy Enabu, John Balwigaire, Josh Johnson, Kassim Nagwere, Samuel Mukooza, Steven Omony (captain), Norman Blick, Andrew Opio, Henry Malinga, Samuel Kalwanyi and Ivan Lumanyika.