Uganda’s domestic basketball federation, Fuba this week named two hugely experienced men and women’s squads for the Afro-basket — Africa’s showpiece basketball championship whose qualifiers start in March.
The teams that are training daily at YMCA Wandegeya under coaches, Nick Natuhereza (women) and Mandy Juruni (men) will be joined by a group of foreign-based players to be announced soon before a planned training camp in Egypt.
Fuba intends to have eight local based and four foreign players. At the moment they are yet to decide on who the four will be because of the number of players who have expressed interest but who might not be considered Ugandan citizens.
Uganda Women (Gazelles) are the defending champions of the Zone V region having topped Egypt, and Kenya at the previous edition held in Uganda in 2014.
The Gazelles went on to finish 10th out of 12 countries at AfroBasket defeating South Africa and Algeria at the tournament hosted by Cameroon.
The Zonal championship is due March 12-18 in Cairo where the top two teams will qualify for the FIBA AfroBasket championship due August 17–31 in Congo-Brazzaville.
29-year-old point guard Flavia Oketcho and Stephen Omwony who is 37 now, (pictured up) are the star players of both teams.
Provisional squad for Gazelles: Flavia Oketcho, Maureen Amoding, Muhayimina Namuwaya, Martha Soigi (KCCA),
Sylvia Nakazibwe (Javon), Stacey Lubowa (MUK), Judith Nansobya, Rita Imanishimwe, Zainah Lokwameri, Sarah Ageno (UCU), Angella Namirimu, Jamillah Nansikombi, Lynn Nalunkuma (JKL) Dorothy Kyamazima (A1) and Stella Nanfuka (A1)
Silverbacks team summoned: Ben Komakech, Jimmy Enabu, Mark Opio, Jonah Otim, Jonathan Egau, Norman Blick, Joseph Ikong, Stephen Omwony, Mike Madol, James Okello, Henry Malinga and Ivan Lumanyika.
