FIBA Africa Regional Youth Camp for girls comes to a close, Khedr named MVP

 

SALY (Senegal) - The FIBA Africa Regional Youth Camp exclusively for girls came to a close in Saly, Senegal, with smiles of fulfilment written on the faces of the over 40 participants.

As fulfilling as it was, one player that is still in dreamland even as she boarded her flight back to Cairo is Salma Khedr who was unanimously voted the Most Valuable Player of the Camp.
 

She told FIBA.basketball after receiving her prize that she is excited to have been voted the MVP. "I am very excited to have been awarded. I have learned new things like how to communicate, play defense, learn from new coaches that guided me, and I made the most of this experience."

"At first, it was not easy for me because I was in a new country and I was not very comfortable but I got better. This award means a lot to me because I was not expecting it not even being the 3-point shot winner. I am thankful to God and all the coaches for having my back. I loved making new friends and hope to keep in contact with my new coaches. I really had fun," she stated.

The camp's the All-Star Five included Kipo Gisele (Cameroon), who emerged as the Best Defensive Player of the camp, Samake Fatoumata (Mali), Joan Rakoronahary (Madagascar), Doumbia Mable (Mali) and Diop Die (Senegal).

The camp ended with an All-Star game with the players drawn into Team Black and Team White.

Coach Christelle N'Garsanet who was part of the camp's technical support for the noted: "This camp is special in so many ways because it is a way of life given my example. It afforded me the opportunity of getting an education with a degree and allowed me to be in a sport I love with a passion which is coaching basketball. I want the same for the girls."

The camp described as a pillar of support for the growth of women's basketball was put together by FIBA and the NBA for young African women aged 14 to 17.

This is the second edition of the FIBA Africa Regional Youth Camp but also the second time that Senegal hosts this event whose FOCUS is to participate in the development of African basketball, through young people.

"Senegal is a basketball country with a very rich track record in girls. This is one of the reasons for the choice of Senegal once again. Even if we must note the availability and warm welcome that the Senegalese Basketball Federation and the local authorities have always reserved for FIBA and the NBA," explained Franck Traore.

Traore, urged African states to strive to provide necessary resources to help the development of the game on the continent. "We need camps, but also international youth competitions. This is the only way to allow them to evolve and be tomorrow’s examples," Traore explained.

The next stop for the FIBA Africa Regional Youth Camp moves to Morocco (October 24-26)

FIBA