Spanish Coach Alberto Antuna will lead the Uganda national women’s Basketball team in their quest to qualify for the 2023 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket that will be played in Kigali, Rwanda.
The campaign will be launched with a Zone V qualifier that will be hosted at the Lugogo indoor Arena, from the 14th to 19th of February.
Antuna joins the Gazelles from Montenegro and will be assisted by the previous head Coach Nicholas Natuhereza, Mavita Ali and Henry Malinga on the technical bench.
The qualifier will feature African powers like Egypt, Rwanda, Kenya, South Sudan, Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Somalia as they vie for a spot at the Women’s Afrobasket tournament.
The Gazelles also summoned a provisional squad of 28 players for preparation, and will later be cut down to a final 15 woman team that will represent Uganda in the competition, next month.
The 28 includes, the women’s league top scorer Brenda Ekone and JKL Lady Dolphins teammates Evelyne Nakiyingi, and Flavia Oketcho.
Shakira Nanvubya, Bridget Aber, and Agatha Kamwada from the UCU Lady Canons, Fildauce Namuleme from the KIU Rangers, and Margaret Bagaala and Faridah Kandondi from the KU Ladies among other players.
For the next 10 days, the summoned players will now converge for a non-residential training session which will be followed by a residential camp upon naming of the final team.
The FUBA President Nasser Sserunjogi talks of the tournament as a big event for women’s basketball having been absent on the continent for the past eight years due to the lack of funds to participate.
The Gazelles will be seeking to make their third appearance on the continent after debuting in 1997 and also participating in the 2015 edition that happened in Cameroon.
Summoned
Gwe asinga