JOHANNESBURG (South Africa) - These days, Sakhile Sithole refers to himself as "a nine-to-five guy", a reference to him holding a day job, but there was a time in his late teens when he was the man on the basketball court.

The year was 2006, and South Africa was hosting the FIBA U18 African Championship, which unearthed the talents of NBA champion Serge Ibaka, who represented the Republic of Congo at the time.

With the tournament returning to South Africa 18 years later, Sithole had this to say to the new generation of players set to represent the country: "It's a great honour to represent your country. We hope you will represent the country in the right way. Play for each other, and you will be in great shape."

What made the event special for Sithole was it taking place in his home city, Durban.

Unfortunately, the host nation's campaign did not go according to script, but one thing that did was Sithole's stand-out performances, which ensured that doors would open for him.

Reflecting on the tournament - eventually won by Nigeria - the small forward told FIBA.basketball that the selection process for the final 12 was nerve-wracking for him as it was not cut and dry.

“I was scouted at the Inter-Provincial tournament, which was a good platform for talent identification at the time. This is where the top players are selected to represent the county. When the initial news came it was not so joyous,” said 34-year-old Sithole.

“Coach (Myles) Delport told us we were not part of the team yet. We were only a part of the training squad of 20. So I knew I had my work cut out for me when training camp began.”

He would eventually make the final 12 roster, and the tone of excitement was clear and is apparent even today when he reminisces.

"It was unbelievable. There is always doubt that you will not be selected, but when I got the call that I was selected, it was a great feeling… First time representing the country on a big stage, you can imagine,” said the former Duzi Royals player.

Of course, the tournament being in Durban roused a feeling of excitement in Sithole, but on the downside, the results did not go South Africa’s way, as they finished with a 1-3 record.

“It was quite exciting because I was representing my country, but there was pressure in that I was playing in front of my home crowd. Every time you’re playing, the expectation is for you to win,” said the former Durban High School pupil. “It was one of the best experiences I have ever had as a young player because it exposed me to outside competition and showed us (team South Africa) how we compared at that level.

Explaining why South Africa fared poorly, Sithole pointed to the lagging player development.

“We have the infrastructure and other resources, but most African countries are ahead in terms of the basketball curve. This was highlighted in every game we played, but it was good for us as we understood how much work we needed to put in to be on par,” said Sithole. "I must say most of the players in the South African team blossomed. Other players also blew up, and we see them today."

Individually, Sithole had an outstanding tournament. He was among the top three in points scored (16.5 points per game), and he was second in rebounds (7.8 per game) and assists (2 per game) for South Africa.

While Sithole's numbers at the championships made for good reading, he would have preferred if they had contributed to winning.

"It was tough to feel good about the performances because of the losses. If they were all wins, I would have been over the moon. But it did show me and other players that our level and skillset was up there with the best," said the former Skidmore College player.

Despite results not going South Africa's way, Sithole's star rose, and basketball set him to new horizons.

"Many doors opened for me. It was like a domino effect. Playing well in the tournament (African championships) led to my participation in Basketball Without Borders. I also obtained a scholarship to attend high school and college in the United States. So all doors unimaginable opened," said Sithole.

As far as the game goes, Sithole, who last wore the green vest of South Africa at the 2017 AfroBasket and has played in the local Basketball National League, says he still has gas in the tank and would like to play a bit more.

"I am a nine-to-five guy now working for a government department. I am not the same player I was because of injuries over the years, but I am trying to get my body in the right shape to make a comeback. I feel I still have a couple of years to give," concluded Sithole.

FIBA