Dieudonné Ndizeye, a small forward for the national basketball team, has predicted a difficult campaign for Rwanda in the upcoming Window 1 qualifiers for the 2023 Fiba World Cup. The basketball star underlined that the teams his side will face in the qualifiers all have quality but they are devising a strategy to see them off in the competition. “All three teams will be tough. Tunisia, of course, are the African champions, and they will bring a lot of pedigree. The games will be difficult, but we have to plan how we overcome the opposition. We also have to play well to get those victories,” Ndizeye told FIBA website. “I have never faced Cameroon before, but I have watched videos of them, in AfroBasket Qualifiers and the AfroBasket. They have a physical style of play and have experienced players who play in different parts of Europe. We know South Sudan pretty well. We played against them in the AfroBasket Qualifiers. We have to prepare well for them.” Ndizeye further emphasized that the Rwanda national team have their sights focused on the World Cup slated for Indonesia, Japan and Philippines next year. “As a team, we have similar goals. We want to qualify, but we have to take it one game at a time,” said Ndizeye, who was also complimentary of Senegal-born Sarr’s work with Rwanda. “Sarr is a good coach with lots of experience. He has been to the AfroBasket and World Cup. He is working to uplift the Rwandan basketball players, both men and women. He is now helping us build on our performances from the AfroBasket,”he added. Sarr was in charge last year as hosts Rwanda finished tenth at the 30th African Basketball Championship (AfroBasket) finals in Kigali. Ndizeye, 25, is one of the gifted players in the national team and would be very instrumental should Rwanda make it to the World Cup for the first time.
