FUBA appoints Goran Lojo as Silverbacks head coach

The Federation of Uganda Basketball Association (FUBA) has appointed Goran Lojo as the new Head Coach of the Uganda men’s national basketball team, the Silverbacks. 

The federation confirmed the development on Tuesday  20th through a statement.

“The Federation of Uganda Basketball Associations (FUBA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Goran Lojo as the head coach of the men’s national basketball team, the Silverbacks,” FUBA said.

“This appointment marks a significant step in FUBA’s strategic commitment to strengthening the competitiveness and global profile of Ugandan basketball.”

Lojo takes over from George Galanopolous, who has handled the Silverbacks at major competitions for the past five years. 

His first task will be the opening round of the FIBA Basketball World Cup Qualifiers. Uganda will face Angola on February 26, Mali on February 27 and Egypt on March 1. 

The games are expected to be played in Cairo or Alexandria, although there are ongoing talks between FUBA and FIBA for Uganda to host the fixtures.

The Bosnian coach brings wide international experience to the Silverbacks job. He previously served as Head Coach of the Bosnia and Herzegovina women’s national team, where he led the side to its most successful period. 

Under his guidance, Bosnia finished fifth at the 2021 FIBA Women’s EuroBasket and qualified for the 2022 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup, their first appearance at the global tournament.

Lojo is not new to Ugandan basketball. He previously had a short stint with the Uganda women’s national team, the Gazelles, where he oversaw a training camp in Germany ahead of the 2025 women’s AfroBasket Qualifiers. 

At club level, Lojo has coached across Europe, including Basket Slovanka Prague in the Czech Republic, BG Göttingen in Germany’s Bundesliga and Rutronik Stars Keltern, also in Germany’s top division.