"Playing at AfroBasket made me a better player", says DR Congo's Herve Kabasele

OVIEDO (Spain) - What if DR Congo were able to bring together some of their high-profile players to represent the country at international level? This is one of the most frequently asked questions.

Perhaps they would be able to go head-to-head against Africa's powerhouses as was the case when a mostly home-based DR Congo team stunned then-reigning AfroBasket champions Nigeria in the Group Phase of the 2017 edition of the African Championship in Tunisia.

"I HAVE TAKEN POSITIVE LESSONS FROM PLAYING AT AFROBASKET. IT'S A COMPETITION THAT HELPED ME OVERCOME FEAR AND MADE ME REALISE THAT I CAN PLAY AGAINST PLAYER."- Herve Kabasele

The Congolese eventually finished sixth in their first AfroBasket appearance in a decade, but they left a message.

One of their heroes from four years ago was then 20-year-old Herve Kabasele, who grabbed international headlines for his terrific talent and potential.

Now, in the build-up to the Second Round of the FIBA AfroBasket 2021 Qualifiers next month, Kabasele humbly insists that there is some work to be done in order to allow DR Congo to secure one of Group A's three spots for the Final Round of the African Championship in Kigali in August this year.

"We have to keep on working as a team," he told FIBA.basketball. "We need to minimise our defensive mistakes, and step up our offense. We need to come up focused and do our job," he added.

DR Congo (2-1) sit second in their group behind leaders Tunisia (3-0), and ahead of Central African Republic (1-2) and Madagascar (0-3).

Whether or not DR Congo can qualify for their second straight AfroBasket is down to a number of factors, Kabasele says, but he is confident that his country has what it takes to become a continental powerhouse in years to come.

"We have talented players, all we need is the support from our government. We need funding to do better as a team.

"My message to our fans back home is that they continue to follow and support us. As a team, we are working to continue to defend the honour and colors of our country," the left-handed center noted.

Some of DR Congo high-profile players include the likes of Bismack Biyombo, Emmanuel Mudiay, Christian Eyenga, Mfioudu Kabengele, all of whom have NBA experience. Let's not forget 17-year-old Yanick Nzosa, a rising star in Spain's ACB.

Kabasele knows too well the importance of representing his country at international level.   

Ever since the 2.08m (6ft 10in ) center made his introduction to an international audition during the 2017 edition of the FIBA AfroBasket, life has never been the same for the man who spent most of his youth basketball career with Congolese side New Generation.

Kabasele went on to display his talent with NBA G League outfit Erie BayHawks, before returning to Spain where he currently plays for Oviedo Baloncesto in the Liga LEB Oro.

"I have taken positive lessons from playing at AfroBasket. It's a competition that helped me overcome fear and made me realise that I can play against any player without feeling inferior. For sure, playing at AfroBasket helped me grow as a player and gave me experience," Kabasele pointed out.

Talking about the challenges DR Congo faces next month in Monastir, Kabasele admitted that their opponents may come up stronger and ready to win games in the Second Round of the Qualifiers. "Those teams will bring in some of their best players who didn't play in November, but more importantly, those teams cannot be overlooked," he said. 

He went on saying: "To build a solid and good team it takes time, and if we have the means to start preparations a few weeks before any competition, that will make us even stronger."

The Congolese have so much potential that in recent years they went on to win the inaugural edition of the FIBA AfroCan - a national team competition for home-based players - in Bamako, Mali.

FIBA