The national basketball team embarks on intensive preparations on Monday, November 9, ahead of the upcoming qualifiers for the African Basketball Championships (Afrobasket) 2021.

The team started residential camp on Sunday at Onomo Hotel in Kigali, and will be conducting their daily training sessions at Amahoro Stadium.

However, the team’s chances have been dealt a blow as two foreign-based players Jean-Victor Mukama (Netherlands) and Elias Ngoga (United States) will not be joining the team after their clubs declined to release them for the qualifiers.

Sweden-based Dylan Schommer Kalecyezi and free-agent shooting guard Kenneth Gasana, who traveled to the United States a fortnight ago, will be the only foreign-based players on Vladimir Bošnjak’s squad.

Rwanda begin her Group D qualifiers campaign against Mali on November 26 before facing Nigeria on the 28th and Algeria the following day.