Burkina Faso call up 20 players for FIBA AfroBasket 2017 Group C Qualifiers
OUAGADOUGOU (FIBA AfroBasket 2017) - The Burkina Faso Basketball Federation (FEBBA) has appointed coach Bagouhinisse Dah in an interim position to lead the men's national team
OUAGADOUGOU (FIBA AfroBasket 2017) - The Burkina Faso Basketball Federation (FEBBA) has appointed coach Bagouhinisse Dah in an interim position to lead the men's national team for the FIBA AfroBasket 2017 Group C Qualifiers.
Dah, who was the assistant to former Frenchman Jean Paul Rebatet, will be assisted by Amadou Ba coming from Senegal in a camp to be held in Ouagadougou.
The first leg of the regional qualifier will take place in the Beninese capital of Cotonou from March 14-18 with the second leg to follow in Abidjan, Cote d’ Ivoire from March 22-26.
The new coach, in an effort to have a positive shot at picking a ticket for the FIBA AfroBasket 2017 Final Round, has called up a mix of experienced and young players among whom are two France-based players Jean-Victor Traore and Joris Bado.
| Burkina Faso 20-player preliminary squad for FIBA AfroBasket Group C Qualifiers | |||
| Joris Bado | Francois Bacemkogba | Camille Bihoun | Aziz Dabire |
| Wilfried Winephoan Dabire | Yaya Diarra | Dieudonne Sami Kam | Nassirou Kere |
| Abraham Lamizana | Frederic Maiga | Stephane Nissao | Armel Ouedraogo |
| Robert Moussa Ouattara | Palingwende Ismael Ouedraogo | Oumar Cheick Sanogo | Mamadou Savadogo |
| Mohamed Toe | Jean Victor Traore | Herve Yameogo | Wilfried Zerbo |
Other experienced players in the team are Yaya Diarra based in Algeria and Mamadou Savadogo who is now plying his trade with Beninese side ASPAC of Cotonou.
The list of home-based players is led by Herve Yameogo who will guide rising young talents like Stephane Nissao and Camille Bihoun of Racing Club Kadiogo of Ouagadougou among other players.
Moussa Ouattara led Burkina Faso in scoring and rebounding at FIBA AfroBasket 2013
The interim coach's request for foreign-based Samuel Ouedraogo, Kader Tapsoba and Demba Fofana did not seal through just as the team’s captain Moussa Ouattara based in Belgium won’t be available for the qualifiers.
According to the Burkina Faso Basketball Federation Secretary General Guebre Boukary, coach Dah and his crew have been charged to ensure qualification and return the country to their first FIBA AfroBasket appearance since 2013.
"The task before the new coach and the players is for them to enjoy themselves playing the game but give their best in getting the qualification at the end of the games against Benin, Niger and Cote d'Ivoire.
"We understand the levels of basketball of our opponents and believe we have a chance to get a place in the continental finals holding in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo (19-30 August)."
FIBA