The national basketball team reported to residential camp on Wednesday evening in a bid to step up preparations for the forthcoming FIBA World Cup qualifiers, scheduled for February 25-27 in Dakar, Senegal. The team, under Senegalese tactician Cheikh Sarr and his newly appointed assistant Charles Mushumba, are camping at Elevate Hotel in Nyarutarama and will be conducting their daily training sessions at Kigali Arena. Rwanda is in Group B, along with two-time reigning African champions Tunisia, Cameroon and South Sudan. Meanwhile, foreign-based players Ntore Habimana (Canada) and Pierre Thierry Vandriessche (France) have already joined the team’s camp, while U.S-based Axel Mpoyo is expected on February 4. After a week in camp, Sarr will assess the 20-man roster and trim it to 15 players. The Rwandan side will play a warm-up game against Egypt in Dakar before embarking on the qualifiers campaign on February 25. Players in camp: Ali Kubwimana Kazingufu, Wilson Nshobozwabyosenumukiza, Bello Nkanira, Aristide Mugabe, Armel Sangwe, Bruno Nyamwasa, Pascal Nkurunziza, Fiston Rutingabo, Thierry Nkundwa, Dieudonné Ndizeye, Victoire Mutabaruka, Eric Muhayemukiza, Olivier Shyaka, Elie Kaje, Hubert Kabera Bugingo, Arnaud Nkusi, Jean Paul Ndoli, Ntore Habimana and Pierre Thierry Vandriessche.
