The Rwanda Basketball League (RBL) will take an eight-week break as players from various clubs report to the national team duty. The break dates from June 5 to July 27, a period during which the national team will be preparing and taking part in the Afro-CAN qualifiers. Afro-CAN is a continental basketball tournament that focuses on promoting players who play in Africa. The competition allows national teams to summon a roster that comprises only two overseas-based players, while the rest of the ten should be based on the continent. This break is meant to allow the national team undergo training sessions before heading to Tanzania for the qualifiers, Fiona Ishimwe, the Executive Director at Ferwaba, told Times Sport. The national basketball team has already joined a residential camp on Sunday night, June4, to prepare for the forthcoming qualifiers of the FIBA Afro-CAN tournament due in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, from June 17-23. ALSO READ: Mushumba named Rwanda coach for Afro-CAN qualifiers The team is camping at Home Free Hotel and will be conducting training sessions at Lycee de Kigali gymnasium before departing to Tanzania on June 15. ALSO READ: Rwanda to participate in Afro-CAN qualifiers The qualifiers will determine the teams that will participate in the Afro-CAN finals, a 12-nation tournament that will take place in Luanda, Angola, from July 7-16. Africa Zone 5 teams that will feature in the qualifiers include Burundi, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya (qualified), Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, and Tanzania. They will be competing for the lone ticket available ahead of the qualifiers. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) qualified for the tournament as champions from the 2019 edition, while Kenya gained qualification as the losing finalists. Morocco are also qualified virtue of finishing fourth-placed in the Bamako-showpiece four years ago. Provisional Squad: Ntore Habimana, William Robeyns, Olivier Turatsinze, Patrick Nshizirungu, ean Jacques Wilson Nshobozwabyosenumukiza, Justin Uwitonze, Kenneth Wilson Gasana, Dan Manzi, Steve Hagumintwari, Dieudonné Ndizeye, Dick Sano Rutatika, Cadeaux de Dieu Furaha, Osborn Shema, Gray Kendall and Patrick Ngabonziza.
