Star shooting guard Kenneth Gasana has pledged to continue leading by example in his new role as the captain of the national basketball team.
The 37-year-old was handed the responsibilities this week, replacing Olivier Shyaka, a power forward who features for Rwanda Energy Group (REG) in the local league.
Speaking to Times Sport about his new responsibilities, Gasana said:
"As you know, I’m always ready to wear the national team kit when my time is called upon. So it was an honour to be selected as Captain. Coach Sarr explained his vision and I told him I’m here to help anyway I can."
Asked about how he will leverage his experience and dedication into the role, he responded that he will continue to be a lead-by-example player.
"Hard work ethic, positive attitude and consistency. Since it’s a young team, I will try to use my experience in explaining situations as an extension of the Coach on and off the court," he noted.
Gasana's first competitive assignment as the captain is next month as the national team will be participating in the second window of the FIBA World Cup 2023 qualifiers.
The qualifier games are scheduled for July 1 to 3 at the BK Arena in Kigali, and Rwanda will be up against Tunisia, Cameroon and South Sudan in Group B.
The national team is already in camp at St. Famille Hotel and have been undertaking their daily training sessions at BK Arena.
Gasana is currently the most experienced player on the team, having started to play for it in 2009.
He was first named on the national basketball team that played in the 25th edition of the Fiba Afrobasket Championships for Men staged in Libya in 2009, where the team finished 13th.
He went on to become Rwanda’s leading scorer at the 2009 FIBA Africa Championship, averaging 18.3 points per game, including a 31-point performance against Morocco, to help lead the Rwandans to a 9th place finish, their best performance ever at any African Championship.
In 2010, Kenneth joined Morocco’s national basketball league side Hoceima for one season but won nothing and the next season, he switched to rivals Plaza Sports Basketball Club.
Rwanda, which has been the region’s sole representative at the championship since 2007, finished in 10th place at the 2013 championships, ahead of the likes of Burkina Faso, Mali, Mozambique and Central African Republic.
Overall, Kenneth Gasana was Rwanda’s top scorer with 87 points and one of the tournament’s most impressive performers.
Rwanda will be looking to put up a strong performance in the second window in order to secure one of the three qualification places in the group.