The women national basketball team is set to add, on its roster, two international players, as the team’s preparations for the upcoming Afrobasket qualifiers gains momentum. The showpiece is scheduled for July 12-17, at the Kigali Arena. The new faces include Romania-based Tierra Monay Henderson as well as US based Whitney Houston. Henderson features, for the Clubul Sportiv Phoenix Constanta, commonly known as Phoenix Constanta, a Romanian women’s basketball club based in Constanta as a point guard. The team currently participates in the country’s top tier basketball league. Times Sport has learned that Houston is already in the country while Henderson is expected to jet in on Friday, July 2. Also on the roster is Rwandan international, Bella Murekatete, who joined the rest on Monday. It has emerged that more players are expected to be added on the roster but this has not been confirmed by the team’s management. Two weeks from now, Rwanda is expected to host the women Afrobasket qualifiers. The showpiece has been scheduled for July 12-17 at the Kigali Arena. At least 10 countries including Burundi, Egypt, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan and Tanzania, will take part in the tournament. To mitigate the spread of the pandemic however, the event will be held under strict safety protocols provided by FIBA and the Ministry of Health. Under the guidance of Senegalese tactician Cheikh Sarr and his assistant Claude Muhirwa, the Rwandan team have reported to residential camp at Elevate Hotel in Nyarutarama, and train sessions at Kigali Arena. By press time, three players including Emelance Muhoza, Deborah Iryimanivuze and Assuma Uwizeyimana had been dropped off from the roster. Meanwhile, The Uganda national women’s basketball team on Tuesday withdrew from this year’s Women’s African Basketball Championship qualifiers (Zone V) due to lack of funds. Full-Squad: Whitney Houston, Faustine Mwizerwa, Doile Tetero, Rosine Micomyiza, Laurance Imanizabayo,Cecile Nzaramba, Sifa Joyeuse Ineza, Nicole Urwibutso,Nadine Rutagengwa, Charlotte Umugwaneza, Sandrine Mushikiwabo and Hope Butera, Tierra Monay Henderson and Bella Murekatete.
