Pressure to win at home high for Egypt as they target fifth trophy at FIBA U16 African Championship
BELGRADE (Serbia) - Egypt, as host of the 2021 FIBA U16 African Championship, will have their eyes set on a fifth trophy but it is not expected to come on a platter of gold.
The team's head coach Amr Abo Elkheer is aware of the expectations on his team to claim a record fifth crown but he admits that the task will come with greater challenges given that there has not been competition since 2019 when Egypt beat Mali 66-57 to cement a fourth trophy.
Despite taking their final preparations to Serbia to have full concentration, Amr Abo Elkheer is of the opinion that the challenge and pressure of playing at home will not be easy for the players.
"WE RESPECT THE BIG NAMES AND IN FACT ALL THE TEAMS BUT FOR ANY TEAM TO WIN, YOU NEED TO WINALL THE GAMES AND THAT IS OUR CHALLENGE."
Though, the last time Egypt played host back in 2011 in the city of Alexandria, they came out winners and certainly look forward to a repeat performance even as the coach thinks a final place game would be the magic they need to realize their dream target.
"This year's championship will be the toughest no doubt because of the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic. We hope our boys will rise up to the challenge under the high pressure is high pressure of playing at home."
He admits that the big nations in youth basketball will pose a threat and says his boys will give their all to stall any challenge.
"Big names like Mali, Cote d'Ivoire in youth basketball will come to Egypt to win just like other countries are aiming to. We respect the big names and in fact all the teams but the truth is that to win, any team will have to win all the games and that is our challenge.
"We look ahead to the teams that are participating and hope that at the end we're victorious."
Countries like Mali, Guinea, Gabon, Cote d'Ivoire, Chad, Algeria, and Zimbabwe are expected in Cairo.
Egypt in six editions of the FIBA U16 African Championship have produced five of the MVPs namely Ahmed Mostafa (2009), Ehab Amin (2011), Mohammed Abdelrahman (2013), Ahmed Khalaf (2015) and Moamen Abouzeid (2019).
The 2021 edition is not likely to be any different as the North African nation is making no pretenses about carting away all the top prizes.
FIBA
