The Uganda national basketball team, known as the Silverbacks, is gearing up for the upcoming Fiba Afrobasket qualifiers, set to take place in Tunisia on February 23. Their last appearance in the tournament was in 2021, where they finished sixth in Kigali, Rwanda, defying expectations.
A 13-man squad has been selected for the qualifiers, including notable players such as NBA star Ishmail Wainright and returning player Adam Seiko. However, star player Arthur Kaluma and team captain Jimmy Enabu will be absent, along with head coach George Galanapolous.
The team will face familiar opponents such as Nigeria and Cape Verde in Group B, with either Morocco or Libya completing the group. The qualification process involves twenty national teams divided into five groups, with each team playing their opponents twice over three windows until 2025.
Despite the absence of key players and coaching staff, the Silverbacks remain optimistic about their chances in the qualifiers. The team comprises a mix of foreign-based players and local talents from clubs such as City Oilers and KIU Titans.
After the games in Tunisia, Uganda will await the return legs to be played between February 17th and 25th, 2025, with the top sixteen teams advancing to the Afrobasket competition.
Silverbacks Roster:
- Ishmail Wainright
- Fayed Baale
- Titus Odeke
- James Okello
- Tony Drileba
- Ivan Muhwezi
- Edgar Munaba
- Stanley Mugerwa
- Robinson Opong
- Emmanuel Womala
- Brandon Ssebirumbi
- Adam Seiko
Coaching Staff:
- Head Coach: Mandy Juruni
- Assistant Head Coach: Andrew Tendo
