The U-18 national basketball teams (boys and girls) are set to begin preparations in early June ahead of the upcoming AfroBasket U18 qualifiers, with coaches expected to summon players who will represent the country. Earlier, the U18 coaching staff held a try-out camp that brought together youngsters from various schools to showcase their talent for possible selection. Officials have confirmed that Rwanda will compete in the FIBA Africa Zone V qualifiers, scheduled to take place in Uganda from June 14 to 20. The tournament serves as the main pathway for regional teams to qualify for the FIBA U18 AfroBasket final tournament. Rwanda will compete alongside Burundi, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, and Tanzania. The Boys’ team will be coached by Sunny Niyomugabo, while Joselyne Munyaneza will lead the girls’ side. Niyomugabo is the current head coach for Patriots Basketball Club in the Rwanda Basketball League (RBL). He is also a former player who featured for teams including Kigali Basketball Club and APR. Munyaneza is also a coach and a former player who featured for teams including IPRC South. She is an experienced coach who is not new in the role of handling junior national teams. Historically, Rwanda’s U-18 men’s team has featured in the FIBA U18 AfroBasket at least five times (2012, 2016, 2018, 2022, and 2024). The team’s best recent performance came in 2024 when they reached the quarterfinals, having finished 5th in 2016, 6th in 2018, and 9th in 2022.
