The national basketball team plans to play build-up games as part of the preparations for the 30th edition of the men’s African Basketball Championship (AfroBasket) finals in Kigali. The two-week showpiece runs from August 24 to September 5, at Kigali Arena. Times Sport understands that head coach Sheikh Sarr and his boys will fly to Senegal on August 7 where they will play three friendlies against Senegal, Guinea and Côte d’Ivoire. On their return, the team also expects another three warm-up games against Egypt, Kenya and South Sudan at Kigali Arena before the tournament gets underway. A fortnight ago, Sarr named an 18-man provisional squad from which he will select his final roster to travel to Senegal for the friendly games. This publication also understands that US-based veteran shooting guard Kenneth Gasana and Britain-based center Prince Chinenye Ibe are arriving in Kigali on Tuesday, August 3, and will immediately join the team’s residential camp at Elevate Hotel in Nyarutarama. Rwanda, hosting the Afrobasket for a historic first time, is in Group A alongside the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Angola, and Cape Verde. Provisional squad: Ntore Habimana, Aristide Mugabe, Sedar Sagamba, Jean Jacques Wilson Nshobozwabyosenumukiza, Steven Hagumintwari, Armel Sangwe, Gitore Rutazingwa, Axel Mpoyo, Emile Galois Kazeneza, Honore Niyongira, Arnaud Nkusi, Elie Kaje, Dieudonné Ndayisaba Ndizeye, Olivier Shyaka, Marius Trésor Ntwari, Elias Ngoga and William Robeyins.
