RWANDA men’s senior basketball team is expected to start intensive preparations on July 22 with a full 21-man squad, a month before the country takes part in this year’s African basketball championship (Afrobasket) scheduled for August 20-31 in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.The development comes a day after the senior hoops team’s head Coach Moise Mutokambali officially revealed nine professional basketball players summoned for the contest.Coach Mutokambali and his assistant John Bahufite who started training with local based players on Wednesday said that 21 players will battle for the only twelve slots available for the final championship.The 21-man team include: Aboubakar Barame (CSK BBC), Bradley Cameron (USA), Darius Brannon (Thailand), Kenneth Gasana (S. Plazza Maroc), Jean Luc Girinshuti and Ali Kubwimana (Kigali BC).Others are Lionnel Hakizimana, Pascal Karekezi, Arstide Mugabe, Olivier Muhizi, Olivier Shyaka and Placide Uwizeye, all from Espoir, Cedrick Isom (Primeiro, Angola), Kami Kabange (City Warriors, Uganda), Dan Manzi and Adonis Rwabigwi (Tampa Bay, Florida USA), Sunny Muyandamutsa and Muhamed Rafiki (APR), Daniel Primo Rugamba (Seattle University, USA), Hamza Ruhezamihigo (Concordia, Canada), Patrice Twagirayezu (ACA, USA).Rwanda is drawn in Group C alongside defending champions Tunisia, Morocco and debutants Burkina Faso in the Continental tournament. The national team starts her quest against Burkina Faso on August 21, take on Morocco on 23 before winding up with defending champions Tunisia on August 25.