Top rebounder Muganza named in DR Congo's roster
KINSHASA (FIBA Women's AfroBasket 2017) - Mireille Muganza may have sat out last June's FIBA Africa Zone 4 qualifiers against the Central African Republic, but she is now set to make some noise at FIBA Women's AfroBasket 2017.
The 12-team African Championship will run from Friday, August 18-27 in the Malian capital of Bamako.
As the top rebounder at last year's FIBA Africa Champions Cup for Women, the 27-year-old Muganza led the Algerian side GS Petrolier to a remarkable campaign in Mozambique where they claimed an encouraging Fifth-Place finish.
Muganza (first from left) was named in the 2016 FIBA Africa Champions Cup for Women All-Star team
Along with Ortice Kabobo, Jeanine Kapinga, Natacha Mambengya and Ginette Mfutila, Muganza completes a quintet which represented the DR Congo in their last continental appearance in 2011, coincidently in Mali.
Although prolific scorer Pauline Akonga is not part of the team, the Congolese invited former WNBA star Bernadette Ngoyisa.
| Democratic Republic of Congo 12-player final roster for FIBA Women's AfroBasket 2017 | |||
| Yvonne Bilonda | Naura Bombolo | Ortice Kabobo | Jeannine Kapinga |
| Natacha Mambengya | Ginette Mfutila | Chanel Mokango | Mireille Muganza |
| Lamama Mukoso | Bernadette Ngoyisa | Christelle Ngusu | Mireille Tshiyoyo |
Drawn in Group B, which consists of Guinea, Egypt, Mozambique, Nigeria and Senegal, the three-time African champions DR Congo traveled to Bamako looking to return to their glory days in African basketball.
If they reach the final, they would become one of the two national teams to represent Africa at 2018 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup in Spain.
FIBA
