Uganda Junior Silverbacks get USPA recognition

Uganda Junior Silverbacks won the FIBA Zone Five Afrobasket Qualifiers in Kigali, Rwanda /COURTESY PICTURE

BASKETBALL Uganda Junior Silverbacks get USPA recognition

Ndyamuhaki J Emanzi 11:01 - 03.07.2023

Michael Seger’s charges defeated hosts Rwanda 59-57 in an intense affair before pummelling Tanzania 116-49 in a dominant performance in Kigali.

The Uganda Junior Silverbacks have been recognised to receive the USPA Young Talent Award for the month of June.

This was revealed Monday morning during the Uganda Sports Press Association monthly assembly held at Imperial Royale Hotel in Kampala.

The Junior Silverbacks qualified for the 2023 FIBA U16 African championship after winning the FIBA Zone Five Qualifiers held in Kigali, Rwanda, last week.

Michael Seger’s charges defeated hosts Rwanda 59-57 in an intense affair before pummelling Tanzania 116-49 in a dominant performance in Kigali.

Tejan Joel Rugate and Zuri Owiny, who scored 21 and 20 points, respectively, against Tanzania, were some of the top performers for the team.

The competition was amongst three teams, Rwanda and Tanzania being Uganda’s challengers for the sole ticket.

Burundi, the other team that turned up for the tournament, were disqualified for presenting over-age players.

Having made their debut in the 2021 Afrobasket, Uganda will return to the finals slated for later this month in Tunisia.

Egypt, Mali, Algeria, Angola, Guinea, Morocco, Nigeria and hosts Tunisia are the other countries that have already qualified for the finals.

The Junior Silverbacks have received recognition from USPA /COURTESY PICTURE

The tournament in Tunisia will present Uganda with the opportunity to qualify for the FIBA U-17 Basketball World Cup slated for next year in the United States.

The top two teams in the competition qualify for the world showpiece.