Gazelles off to Rwanda for Afrobasket 2023

The Uganda national basketball team the Gazelles have been flagged off to Rwanda to represent Uganda at the FIBA Women’s Afrobasket 2023 that is slated for July 28 to August 6.

The Gazelles booked their ticket to this edition of the Afrobasket through a wild card during the qualifiers that were hosted in Kampala in February as they finished second behind Egypt.

Under the watchful eye of head coach Alberto Antuna and his assistants Nick Natuhereza and Mavita Ali,12 players both local and US-based including Flavia Oketcho, Evelyn Nakiyingi, Brenda Ekone, Hope Akello, Victoria Mukisa, Jane Asinde, Jannon Otto, Ritah Imanishimwe, Claire Lamunu, Pricilla Abby, Lydia Babirye and Melissa Akullo will compete at the continental level.

Nasser Sserunjogi, the Federation of Uganda Basketball Association (FUBA) president says the preparations the team has gone through is a deal.

“We are honoured to be among the top 12 teams that are going to be at the Afrobasket. We are not there by luck, we managed to beat Egypt in the preliminaries and lost in the finals but we are here. We made everything possible to ensure the team is prepared and I believe we have done enough within our means for the team to compete at a high stage.” noted Sserunjogi.

Also, head coach Antuna is confident that with the duration the Gazelles have had to train, they will be ready to put up a challenge.

Gazelles head coach Alberto Antuna

“We are ready because we have prepared well. It has been a long time without competing at the continent and now that we have a chance in our hands, we are going to compete for something big.,”

I am super proud of the team and to have the opportunity to play at the continental level. I am sure we are going to compete favorably despite our history.” stated Antuna.

NCS chairman Ambrose Tashobya

FUBA president Nasser Sserujogi

The FIBA Women's Afro basket is the top women's basketball tournament in Africa that is staged every two years and features the top 12 national teams on the continent.

The Gazelles who made their first appearance at the continent in 1997 and 2015 will be making their third appearance at the continental stage and were pooled in group C alongside Mali and Senegal.