Natuhereza to lead the Gazelles' revolution

Feb 01, 2017

Timothy Odeke and assistant Nimrod Kaboha pave the way for Natuhereza, a tactician and disciplinarian

FIBA Zone V Afrobasket Qualifiers (Cairo, March 12-18)

A new Afrobasket campaign, plenty of new faces for the Uganda Gazelles.

"We wanted to have a dynamic playing style and there a lot of young players joining the team, so we felt it was good to appoint Nick (Natuhereza) as the new coach," explained Mohammed Santur, chairman of the National Team Management Committee (NTMC).

Natuhereza replaces long-serving peer Timothy Odeke, who led the Gazelles to their maiden Afrobasket in 2015 and has been a key contributor to the transformation of the women's national team since his appointment in 2011.

Odeke and assistant Nimrod Kaboha pave the way for Natuhereza, a tactician and disciplinarian and still the boys national U-18 coach.

Natuhereza will be deputised by Mavita Ali, retained from the old regime, and the two will be expected to find the right balance between the senior group of players from the last Afrobasket campaign and the incoming troop of youngsters.

In all, seven of the 15 players called up for training ahead of the March 12-18 FIBA Zone V Afrobasket Qualifiers in Cairo have no national caps. America-based Sharon Karungi and Peace Proscovia, a netball professional in England, are expected to make the final cut for Cairo while most of the Afrobasket pioneers in the squad should also be selected.

In the end, not more than five spots may be for grabs, a recipe for a competitive build-up.

Provisional squad: F. Oketcho, S. Nakazibwe, A. Namirimu, M. Amoding, J. Nansobya, S. Lubowa, R. Imanishimwe, Z. Lokwameri, J. Nansikombi, L. Nalunkuma, D. Kyamazima, M. Namuwaya, A. Sarah, M. Soigi & S Nanfuka

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