Darius Pegue, a 28-year old Ugandan who has played basketball in the prestigious America National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) will be the main attraction as the Uganda National Men’s Basketball team, the Silverbacks start their bid to return to AfroBasket against Somalia on Monday, March 13.
Pegue who went undrafted by the NBA in 2015 is expected to be handed his debut against Somalia by coach Mandy Juruni at 6pm in their tournament opener at the Cairo Stadium, Olympic Centre in Egypt.
Pegues is one of two foreign-based players, the other being Stanley Ocitti, who are part of the two as the federation couldn’t raise money for the planned four.
“He adds size, can shoot well and can play down low,” Juruni told Daily Monitor about Pegue.
Uganda will have a day off and return to action on Wednesday against Burundi in a bid to advance to the semifinals where the top teams from the group will cross with the top two of Group A that has hosts Egypt, South Sudan, Kenya and Rwanda.
Meanwhile, the first game for Uganda’s National Women’s Basketball team, the Gazelles yesterday ended in favor of Egypt 83-56. The Gazelles have to win the rest of their games to stand a chance to the first position.
The Gazelles play Kenya tomorrow 7pm East African Time.
