Dick Sano Rutatika, the captain of the U-18 boys' national basketball team has said that he and team mates will put up a serious fight in U-18 Zone V Afrobasket qualifiers to be held in Kampala, Uganda from June 13 to 18.

The U-18 national basketball teams, in both the boys' and girls' category, are already in Kampala, ahead of 18 Zone V Afrobasket qualifiers.

"We are going to play like a team, not as individuals. Our aim is to make the country proud, we are hungry for silverware and ready to improve in every game. I believe we have the ability to win the tournament,” Rutatika told Times Sport in an interview.

He added: "We have spent a lot of time in preparation and we want to start the first game with a win and our target is to qualify for the U-18 Afrobasket finals.”

In a separate interview, Yves Murenzi, the head coach of the U-18 boys' national basketball team said that "I say we can do it. We want to go out there and to win,” he said.

The winners automatically qualify for U18 Afrobasket finals that will be played at the Mahamasina Sports Palace in Antananarivo in Madagascar from July 23 to August 7.

Burundi, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan and Tanzania are the countries expected to come to Kampala for the tournament.