Netherlands-based Jean-Victor Mukama has received his first call-up in the men’s senior national basketball team for the upcoming qualifiers of the African Basketball Championships (Afrobasket) 2021 tournament. The 19-player provisional squad was announced on Tuesday afternoon, roughly three weeks before the qualifiers tournament kicks-off in Kigali on November 25. #BREAKING: The national basketball team’s head coach Vladimir Bosnyak has named a 19-man provisional squad to start training on Thursday ahead of the upcoming Afrobasket qualifiers in Kigali. Netherlands-based Jean Victor Mukama is a first-timer on the team. pic.twitter.com/AfmGQhYVPD — The New Times (Sports) (@TimesSportRW) November 3, 2020 Mukama played a pivotal role as league side Patriots qualified for the inaugural Basketball Africa League (BAL) last December. He posted a game-high 18 points as the Rwandan champions overpowered Madagascar side GNBC in the final at Kigali Arena. Serbian head coach Vladimir Bosnyak and his team will begin training on Thursday, with the final 12-man squad set to be released on November 24. Local giants Patriots have the biggest number of representatives in the squad with six players, followed by rivals Rwanda Energy Group with four, while APR will contribute three players to the team. Mukama, 26, features for Dutch side Aris Leeuwarden since August 2020. He is one of the only three foreign-based players on the squad along with Dylan Schommer Kalecyezi (Switzerland) and Elias Ngoga who plays for Blinn Junior College in the United States. Full provisional squad: Hubert Bugingo Kabare, Shafi Habineza, Stven Hagumintwari, Kenneth Herbert Gasana, Adonis Jovon Filer, Kami Kagange, Elie Kaje, Prince Muhizi, Jean Victor Mukama, Diedonne Ndizeye Ndayisaba, Elias Ngoga and Pascal Niyonkuru. Others are; Bienvenu Niyonsaba, Jean Jacques Wilson Nshobozwabyosenumukiza, Marius Tresor Ntwari, Sedar Sagamba, Dylan Schommer Kalecyezi, Olivier Shyaka and Justin Uwitonze.
