Ndoye, D'Almeida and Mendy join Senegal's preliminary squad for FIBA AfroBasket 2017 Qualifiers
DAKAR (FIBA AfroBasket 2017) - A month after Senegal opened their first training camp for the FIBA AfroBasket 2017 Zone 2 Qualifier, three key players have been added to an extended preliminary squad.
"Clearly our goal is to qualify for Congo-Brazzaville. But at this moment in time, it’s difficult to talk about expectations because we don’t know what players other teams will be bringing to the tournament." - Dumas
Antoine Mendy, Xane D'Almeida and team captain Maleye N'Doye - a trio who plays professionally in France - are expected to join the team over the weekend in Dakar.
Senegal preliminary squad for FIBA AfroBasket Zone 2 Qualifiers | |||
Louis Adams | Abdoul Ba | Pape Badji | Aboudalye Coulibaly |
Xane D’Almeida | Moise Diame | Lamine Mamadou Diop | Lamine Mouhamadou Diop |
Moustapha Diop | Yacinth Diop | Serigne Gueye | Mansour Kasse |
Karim Abdou Kebe | Modou Mbaye | Antoine Mendy | Malick Ndiaye |
Maleye Ndoye | Abdoulaye Ndoye | Malick Nguirane | Ibrahima Niang |
Lamine Sambe | Abdoulaye Djibril Thiam | Abdoulaye Khouraichi Thiam | Hassane Pape Traore |
The FIBA Africa Zone 2 Qualifier will see Senegal take on Cape Verde, Mali and Guinea in search for a place in the Final Round of the FIBA AfroBasket 2017 in Congo-Brazzaville (August 19-30).
22 présélectionnés dont 12 internationaux. Le Sénégal renforce son groupe pour le Tournoi de la zone 2. #Team221 #Afrobasket2017 #FIBA pic.twitter.com/SuM0asGUnn
— Basket Sénégal (@basket_221) March 9, 2017
The first round of the qualifier will take place in the Malian capital of Bamako on March 19 with the second round to follow in Dakar a week later.
In absence of Porfirio Fisac, Stephane Dumas who served as assistant coach at FIBA Olympic Qualifiers in Manila has been handed the helm of the team.
He will join the team on Sunday 12 March, and will be assisted by Dame Diouf.
"We'll have only three days of practice before the qualifiers, but our main priority will be improving our communication and build a team spirit," Dumas explained to FIBA.com.
Stephane Dumas (left) will be Senegal's head coach during the FIBA AfroBasket qualifiers
"Clearly our goal is to qualify for Congo-Brazzaville. But at this moment in time, it’s difficult to talk about expectations because we don’t know what players other teams will be bringing to the tournament."
FIBA