UCU’s Fayed Baale Delights In Silverbacks Call Up

UCU Canons point guard Fayed Baale is one of the eight home-based players in the Silverbacks (Uganda men’s national basketball team) squad ahead of the FIBA AfroBasket 2021 Qualifiers (second window) that will take place from February 18-21 in Monastir, Tunisia.

Silverbacks team comprises of eight home-based players and five foreign-based players. The local-based contingent departed for Tunisia on February 4, 2021, for a training camp in the host city where they linked up with foreign-based charges.

For Fayed Baale, 19, making the cut to the traveling squad from 12 local provisional players who were summoned for drills ahead of the continental showpiece is no mean achievement and he seeks to build on it going forward.

“First of all I would say it’s been unbelievable but at the same believable because you can’t just come to the national team, you have to work for it,” Baale noted in an interview.

“It has always been my dream. I always wanted to play for the senior national team,” Baale noted adding that; “the underage tournaments totally helped me because in each tournament I went to, I picked something to work on.”

Baale who claims to have drawn inspiration from previous coaches believes that he will do his best if named among the final 12 and would love to help the team achieve its goals and objectives.

This will be the final window of the FIBA Afrobasket 2021 Qualifiers and the Silverbacks will be looking at booking a slot for the championship which will be held later this year in Kigali, Rwanda.

Uganda is drawn in Group E with Egypt, Morocco and Cape Verde and currently is second in the group topped by Egypt after the first qualifying window.

Silverbacks will need to finish among the top three in their group to make it to the Kigali showpiece.

Silverbacks will be handled by head coach George Galanopoulos, who will be assisted by Mandy Juruni.

Silverbacks Team For Afrobasket Qualifiers:

1. Jimmy Enabu

2. Tony Drileba

3. Benjamin Komakech

4. Fayed Baale

5. James Okello

6. Joseph Anyuru Ikong

7. Titus Lual Odeke

8. Ceasar Kizito