Thabeet, Atiki in AfroCan 2023 squad
TANZANIA’S international basketball stars; Hasheem Thabeet and Atiki Ally have been included in the national team revealed yesterday ahead of the FIBA AfroCAN 2023 Championship.
Thabeet and Ally are among the 22-member squad called to represent the country in the tournament to be held in Dar es Salaam from June 17th to 23rd this year.
Thabeet who serves The Hero Bears club of Taiwan and youngster Ally who plays for Brigham Young University (BYU) in the USA have added strength in the squad’s central position.
Mwenze Kabinda, the Secretary General of the Tanzania Basketball Federation (TBF) said in Dar es Salaam yesterday that Tanzania has been honoured to host FIBA AfroCAN 2023 African Championship qualifiers jointly organised in collaboration with the African Basketball Federation.
“Tanzania, like other member countries of the FIBA Africa – Zone V, we are responsible for participating in this tournament to qualify for the continental level tournament whose zonal champions will qualify for the finals later this year,” he said.
Kabinda added the tournament will involve ten Zone V teams which are Egypt, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia and hosts Tanzania.
“Through the meeting between the selected coaches and the executive committee held on March 26th this year in relation to our preparation and participation in the respective competitions, a list of 22 players have been selected by the head coach Mohammed Mbwana in collaboration with his assistant, Ashraf Harun.
He mentioned the players, their positions and the clubs they presented as:
Point Guard: Alinani Andrew (ABC), Bernard John (Pazi), Joseph Peter (Pazi), MussaChacha (JKT), SaleheBuruhani (Dodoma Kisasa).
Shooting Guard: Ally Mohammed (Ukonga), Baraka Sadiki (JKT), Erick Lugora (Pazi) and Tyrone Edward (Ukonga).
Small-Forwards: Amin Mkosa (Dodoma Don Bosco Panthers), Denis Chibula (Pazi), Enrico Augustino (ABC), SaliminJuma (Dar City).
Power Forward:FadhilChuma (Pazi), Haji Mbegu (Ukonga), Jackson Brown (JKT) and Sisco George (Planet Mwanza).
Center: Atiki Ally (Brigham Young University-USA), FotiusNgaiza (Youth), Hasheem Thabeet (Hero Bears-Taiwan), Jimmy Brown (Ukonga) and MwalimHeri (Pazi).
