Basketball: Rwanda in final preps for FIBA 3x3 Africa Cup
Monday, November 28, 2022
Forward Steven Hagumintwari with ball during a training session. Steven is one of six players of of the 3x3 national basketball team. File.jpg

The national basketball team is going through their final training drills as they prepare for the fourth edition of the FIBA 3x3 Africa Cup tournament slated for December 2-4 in Cairo, Egypt.

Moise Mutokambali, the head coach of the 3x3 national basketball team, last week announced a six-man provisional squad to start training ahead of the showpiece.

The team is training everyday at IPRC-Kigali since Friday, November 25.

The coach said the plyers are responding well in training sessions although he is worried that preparing a team that lacks competitions could help him little in assessing how prepared the team is for the challenge.

"The boys are all doing well, and the mood and confidence levels among players are promising. We never had big competitions to engage our players so as to access their level but confidence and hard work helped us to succeed,” Mutokambali said.

The team is expected to travel to Cairo on December 1.

The FIBA 3x3 Africa Cup will attract eight teams pooled in two groups. Rwanda is in Group A alongside Madagascar, Egypt and Botswana while Group B comprises Kenya, Tunisia, Democratic Republic of Congo and Morocco.

The squad

Olivier Turatsinze (point-guard, IPRC-Kigali), Patrick Ngabonziza (power forward, APR), Steven Hagumintwari (shooting guard, Patriots), Justin Uwitonze (shooting guard IPRC-Kigali), Dieudonné Ndizeye (small forward, Patriots) and Jean Jacques Wilson Nshobozwabyosenumukiza (point guard, APR).