REGENSBURG (David Hein's Eye on the Future) - The second window of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 African Qualifiers saw Nigeria go undefeated at 3-0 and Senegal knock off Mozambique in Maputo. But the African Qualifiers also saw an impressive debut of Central African Republic's superstar teenage prospect Kurt-Curry Wegscheider and the continued youth movement for Rwanda.

Wegscheider has already started making a name for himself, being named the MVP of the 2017 Basketball Without Borders African edition. He also plays at the NBA Academy Africa in Senegal and recently participated in the Basketball Without Borders Global Camp at the NBA All-Star weekend. All that despite the fact that he won't turn 17 years old until May 30.

Even more impressive for the 6ft 3in (1.90m) guard is that he made his senior national team debut in the World Cup African Qualifiers - and that he had a decent impact. Wegscheider averaged 1.3 points and 1.0 rebounds in 9.3 minutes in CAF's three games.

He picked up one rebound and one steal in four minutes of CAF's 70-65 loss to Senegal in the first game. That was followed by four points, two rebounds and three turnovers in 11 minutes of a 59-52 defeat against host team Mozambique. And in CAF's 63-62 win over Cote d'Ivoire, Wegscheider missed his only shot and did not grab a rebound, picking up just two fouls with one turnover.

Wegscheider is considered one of the continent's top talents. His father is from Alsace, France near the German border and his mother is from Central Africa Republic. And his brother Joe Fred Wegscheider played for CAF at the FIBA U16 African Championship 2009 - also in Maputo, Mozambique.

Kurt-Curry, who is a big fan of the Golden State Warriors and Russell Westbrook, has already toured Europe with a team of NBA Academy Africa talents, spending time in Paris and Prague. Wegscheider and the team had a joint practice with the famed INSEP Academy in France while playing some of the top youth clubs in Europe, including Red Star Belgrade, Stellazzurra Rome, GBA Prague, IBA Munich, USK Future Stars and Apollo Amsterdam. The African team even beat Red Star by eight points.

Wegscheider was not the only teenager on the CAF roster for the window, teaming up with Morel Lenguewane, who won't turn 18 years old until late October. While Lenguewane did not play in the three games, he did make his debut last spring in the Qualifiers for the FIBA AfroBasket 2017. He collected one point, two rebounds and one assist in eight minutes over two Qualifiers last March against the Democratic Republic of Congo.

While CAF are 1-2 in Group D, Rwanda are 1-2 in Group B after a 74-70 victory over hosts Mali and then a 108-53 defeat against Nigeria followed by a 79-63 loss versus Uganda.

One of the things you notice if you look at the Rwanda roster is that they are continuing to give young players a chance to be exposed to the highest level. Their list of players included eight who were under 25 years of age - the most of the eight teams playing in the second window.

CAF were second with six players - including the two teenagers Wegscheider and Lenguewane - while Nigeria had five, followed by three each from Mali and Mozambique, one for Uganda and Cote d'Ivoire while Senegal's team did not have a player under 25 years.

Rwanda had four 22-year-olds and three players who were 21 years - led mainly by Elie Kaje, who ranks third in scoring at 10.3 and tops in rebounds with 7.0; and Olivier Shyaka, who averaged 7.7 points and 2.7 rebounds.

Elie Kaje was one of Rwanda's top players during their first games of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 African Qualifiers.

Rwanda's commitment goes back to the Qualifiers for FIBA AfroBasket 2015. After having just four players 24 and under at AfroBasket 2013, Rwanda had 19 players who were under 22 over the course of the 2015 qualification campaign.

Last summer at FIBA AfroBasket 2017, Kaje and Shyaka were two of six players who were 23 years or under for Rwanda, who went 1-2 with a victory over Guinea and losses against eventual champions Tunisia and Cameroon.

With that kind of exposure, it wouldn't be a surprise if Rwanda start slowly moving their way up the ranks in Africa. Right now, it's a program to watch, just like the two teenagers from Central African Republic.

David Hein

FIBA

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