Everyone wants to beat us, says Mandy Juruni

Mandy Juruni will highlight the burden of expectations on Uganda on the first day of training for his 12-man squad of locally-based players called up to prepare for the FIBA Zone V Afrobasket qualifiers.
 
"I will tell them that they have to be committed to training because our target is to go back to Afrobasket," said the Silverbacks coach hours before training later today.
 
"I will tell them that the recent success in Ugandan basketball has made us a target in the region so we have to work extremely hard to maintain our level."
 
The Gazelles (women) and Silverbacks (men) will aim to secure their second successive berths at the Afrobasket during the March 12-18 qualifiers in Egypt in March and Juruni is hoping the locally-based options will make strong auditions for selection.
 
"We have not made the final cut (so players should fight for places)," Juruni added.
 
Juruni will be hoping to add at least four foreign-based players to his final team, including Stanley Ociti, Brandon Ssebirumbi, John Balwegaire and Paul Nyeko.

With captains Stephen Omony, Joseph Ikong, Jimmy Enabu and Ben Komakech virtually assured of making the final list, there could be four places up for grabs for a local contingent that also includes veterans Henry Malinga and Norman Blick, debutants Jonathan Egau and Mike Madol and Ivan Lumanyika, who will be hoping to resurrect his flailing reputation.
 
Full list of Silverbacks training line-up for Afrobasket qualifiers
J. Ikong, S. Omony, B. Komakech, J. Enabu, J. Otim, M. Opio, J. Egau, N. Blick, H. Malinga, J. Okello, M. Madol & I. Lumanyika