RWANDA’s national basketball team Coach Vaceslav Kavedzija has summoned 19 domestic players to start training ahead of the 10th edition of the All Africa Games due September 3-18 in Maputo, Mozambique.
The Serbian explained to Times Sport that, “We have to start preparations as early as possible so that we are ready for the tournament come September.”
Rwanda opens her quest against Central African Republic.
Rwanda qualified for the quadrennial games after clinching the Zone V championship title in February. To lift the title, Rwanda beat Burundi, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda at Amahoro indoor courts.
Assisted by Prosper Mihigo and Cyrille Kalima, Kavedzija commenced training Monday evening and is expected to beef up the squad by calling up the experienced foreign-based trio of Mathieu Miller (Europe), Hamza Ruhezamihigo (Canada) and Robert Thompson (Romania).
Training sessions are held on Mondays and Wednesdays.
Meanwhile, the women side will be coached by former Croatian international Nedad Amanovic.
Among other achievements, the 51-year-old won nine Croatian and Yugoslavian league titles with different clubs between 1987 and 2011.
Provisional squad:
APR - Kami Kabangu, Rafiki Muhammed, Deo Nkurikiyinka, Theotime Murihira; CSK - Abubakar Barame, Karim Nkusi, Lionel Hakizimana, Dan Manzi; ESPOIR - Aristide Mugabe, Pascal Karekezi Rurangirwa, Ronald Karenzi, Christopher Wazayira, Jean Louis Habineza; KIE - Neston Manzi, Patrice Twagirayezu, Eric Ngenzi; KBC - Fiston Muhire, Sunny Niyomugabo and National University of Rwanda (NUR)’s Olivier Muhizi