Fayed Bbaale keen to make the most of Silverbacks call up

Despite being the youngest and smallest member on the Silverbacks team, Fayed Bbaale believes he can compete for a place with the big boys on the team.

The 19-year old, 5'8" tall and member of the junior national 3x3 team and the UCU Canons, got his first call up to the senior team that started non-residential training on Tuesday and will continue for four days every week ahead of their participation in the Afrobasket qualifiers in Egypt next month.

Bbaale's sparkling display in the FUBA National Basketball League against the City Oilers, where his side lost 4-3 in the best-of-seven playoff final, earned him the call up to the national team.

"I didn't expect the call up considering my size and competition but with God anything is possible. I believe everything happens with time because you can't just get there," Bbaale said.

"But it feels great to be on the team. I mean it is a chance to compete with some of the great players. I can say it is a pleasure.

"The big boys are really great so the only option is to play hard. We have a team of great players and I think we can make it in Egypt," Bbaale stated.

Uganda's national men's basketball team, the Silverbacks, hope to make it to the Afrobasket qualifiers for the third time when they compete in qualifiers due November 27-29 in Egypt.

The second and last qualifier tournament will take place from February 19-21, 2021 in Morocco.

Uganda needs to win at least a game in each window in order to qualify for the Afrobasket qualifiers that will take place in Kigali in July 2021.

Uganda is pitted alongside host Egypt, Morroco, and a team to be announced in Group E after the last pre-qualifiers tournament in Cameroon involving South Sudan and another team.

A 12-man squad of locally-based players started preparations for the one-of-two window qualifiers, under coach Mande Juruni at Lugogo on Tuesday.