The Uganda Men’s national basketball team, the Silverbacks, have arrived in Morocco ahead of their crunch AfroBasket qualification game.
The team will take on Morocco at the Salle Bouazzaoui Arena on Thursday, July 8th, needing victory to seal their spot at the finals.
The Silverbacks spent the last four days in Cairo, Egypt where they have been camping so as to beef up preparations for the game.
They are understood to have departed Egypt on Saturday morning and arrived in Morocco, where they will be hosted at the Rihab Hotel in Rabat, later in the day.
Currently, they are close to full capacity with only French-based Centre Ishmail Wainwright yet to arrive.
After winning two of their opening four games, the George Galanopoulos coach side needs just a single victory from their final two games to reach the finals.
Three new players, Ghedi Abdi Hakim Mohamed, Kieran Zziwa and Arthur Kaluma will make their debuts for the Silverbacks.
If they beat Morocco, they will automatically qualify for the Afrobasket finals, but if not they will have to play Cape Verde on 15th July and if triumphant they will qualify for the said finals.
However, if Silverbacks lose all their Group E games, it will then go down to goal difference with Morocco needing a +8 win over Uganda while Cape Verde need a +6 win to come atop Uganda. Egypt is already qualified for the finals but the top three teams from each group and a wildcard will form the 16 teams that will qualify for Afrobasket finals.
The event proper, FIBA AfroBasket is scheduled to be held in Kigali, Rwanda from August 24 to September 5 2021.
Silverbacks Afrobasket Team
Jimmy Enabu (City Oilers), James Okello (City Oilers), Tonny Drileba (City Oilers), Benjamin Komakech (City Oilers), Titus Odeke (UCU Canons), Ronson Odoch Opong (Canada), Eric Rwahwire (Canada), Keiran Zziwa (Canada), Ghedi Muhamed (USA), Geu Dengeu John (Denmark), Ishmail Wainright (France) and Arthur Kaluma (USA).
Coaches
George Galanopoulos, Mandy Juruni, Michael Schmitz and Andrew Tendo Senyondwa.
