AFTER successfully hosting the 2007 Zone V African Basketball Championship qualifiers, Fiba has rewarded Rwanda by letting her host this year’s edition, Times Sport has learnt

The championship, scheduled for February 23-March 1 will be held at the newly refurbished Amahoro Indoor stadium and just like in 2007, the likes of Egypt, Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda among others are expected to raise the tempo in the one-week tournament.

Up to date, the ministry of Sports and Culture (Minispoc) in conjunction with the local basketball governing body, Ferwaba are the official organizers and sponsors but Ferwaba expects more sponsors to come on board.

"We are optimistic that sponsors will come on board in the next few weeks,” Ferwaba’s Secretary General Jean Lucien Mugabo said.

After summoning 15 local based players for non-residential training early this month, Mugabo also disclosed that the federation had contacted six foreign based players to beef up the squad.

Hamza Ruhezamihigo, MVP at the 2007 Zone V Championship and currently playing for Canada’s Concordia Stingers is one of the six players.

The team’s training sessions are being handled by Vaceslave Kavedzija, the national basketball coach.

Mugabo also believes that between now and mid February, the federation will try to sieve out the best players for the tournament.

In 2007, Rwanda finished second to Egypt thereby earning a maiden appearance in the Afro-basket competition which was hosted by Angola, Africa’s basketball giants.

Rwanda went on to finish 12th in the competition which Angola won for a record nine times.

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