As the national basketball team prepares to return to action later this month for the first window of the FIBA World Cup 2026 African Qualifiers, set for November 27-30 in Tunisia, the boys will be led by Yves Murenzi, who stepped into the role of head coach on interim basis following the departure of Cheikh Sarr in September. Murenzi, 43, will be assisted by three former national team players: Kenny Gasana, Aristide Mugabe, and Sunny Niyomugabo. ALSO READ: Who’s who on Rwanda’s new coaching staff for FIBA World Cup qualifiers The new coach brings good experience to the position. He previously led United Generation Basketball (UGB) from 2013 to 2025 and has coached the U16 and U18 national teams since 2017. Since 2021, he has served as assistant coach for the senior national team, helping guide Rwanda to a bronze medal at the 2023 AfroCAN tournament. In the FIBA World Cup 2026 qualifiers, Rwanda will compete in Group C, alongside Nigeria, Guinea, and Tunisia. Speaking to Times Sport, Murenzi expressed confidence in his readiness for the challenge, citing his years of experience under various coaches, including Cheikh Sarr. “I’ve learned a lot from working with Coach Cheikh Sarr and other experienced coaches,” he noted. In the qualifiers, three of the four teams in each group will advance to the next phase. Murenzi emphasized the importance of performing strongly in the first window, as the results will carry over to the next window in July 2026. ALSO READ: Basketball: Three new faces on national team roster for World Cup qualifiers “It’s crucial that we perform well this November because the results will also count in the next window,” he explained. “To qualify, we need to start strong and aim for as many wins as possible.” He added that the goal is to secure at least two or three victories, noting that all group opponents are beatable. “If we can’t get three wins, we should at least get two to make things easier for the next window. The July window is tougher because all leagues will be on break, and the top players will be available for their national teams,” Murenzi said. He said he has confidence in his technical staff, noting that they are colleagues with good knowledge of the game. He praised Kenny Gasana for his leadership and good transition from player to coach. “He has represented the national team previously and understands the game well, both as a player and now as a coach. He has good understanding of the players and they listen to him,” he said. On Aristide Mugabe, Murenzi highlighted his good knowledge of player rotations. “I worked with Mugabe during AfroCAN 2023. Having played for the national team for many years, he knows the players well and understands rotations and substitutions. He can easily tell when a player needs rest or adjustment,” he noted. ALSO READ: Basketball: Tunisia to host Group A, C of FIBA World Cup qualifiers Regarding Sunny Niyomugabo, Murenzi commended his commitment to learning and growth. “Sunny is a good coach who always wants to learn. His experience coaching the Patriots Basketball Club (in the Rwanda Basketball League) has given him more experience,” he noted. Speaking about Cheikh Sarr, Murenzi described him as an encyclopedia of basketball. “Coach Sarr knows so much about the game. He also does research because basketball keeps evolving. The game we play today is not the same as 10 years ago,” Murenzi said. “He even contributed to writing coaching manuals that we use today.” Murenzi added that Sarr instilled a winning mentality in the team. “He always told us that whether we face Angola, Mali, or Senegal, which are some of the best teams in Africa, that it’s still five players against five. We had to trust our plan and believe we could win. Even when we lost, it hurt because we went into the game expecting victory,” he noted.
