No “Rob” for Rwanda in Dar es Salaam

SHEFFIELD (Júlio Chitunda’s African Message) - Robert “Rob” Thomson has clearly been one of the most emblematic Rwandan players in recent years.

But his time with the national team may have come to an end.

Thomson is not going to take part in next week’s qualifier tournament in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, where 10 FIBA Africa zone 5 teams will battle for two places at this summer's Afrobasket.

The seven-day tournament starts on Monday 21 January.

American-born Thomson is not included in the preliminary squad that has undergone some changes, including the departure of its head coach, Croatian Vaceslav Kavedzija.

Another regular presence with the national team at the past three Afrobasket alongside Thomson was Matthew Miller, who has not been named in new coach Moise Mutokambali’s squad.

A number of overseas-based players are yet to join the national team who started their preparations two weeks ago.

It is unclear whether these recent events with the team are related to criticism on the number of naturalised players, although Thomson is not known to be playing professionally.

In the past five years, seven naturalised players from the USA and the Democratic Republic of Congo have represented Rwanda at international tournaments, with their best achievement being a ninth-place finish at the 16-team 2009 Afrobasket.

With the late arrival of some players, it seems that Rwanda is to show up in Dar es Salaam with a renewed team comparing to recent years.

If they qualify for the Afrobasket with home-based players, surely it will be a victory for critics. Otherwise, the Rwandese Basketball Federation will have to review its developments strategies in order to regularly remain competitive against better African teams.

Regardless, of their current team formation, Thomson has gained admiration in the country, especially with his community involvement.

While he played for a local club, Thomson carried out basketball development programmes for youth in the country, a real need for Rwanda’s basketball aspirations.

The 2.08m center later signed for U-Mobitelco Cluj-Napoca in the Romanian league.

Curiously his debut in the national team coincided with Rwanda’s first appearance at Africa’s leading continental basketball tournament.

At the 2007 Afrobasket, he helped Rwanda finish 12th in the 16-team tournament, before they improved to a ninth-place result two years later in Libya, where he averaged 11.4 rebounds per game to lead all players.

Coach Mutokambali has confidence in his team and in what they can accomplish.

“My main target is to advance through the group stages and compete in the finals which are always difficult," he said.

“The team is doing well in training and morale is high among the players, which is a good thing if we are to do well and I hope we go into this competition with a strong character and mentality to win.

“With this group of young and experienced players, I believe we will do well in the tournament,” the new head coach pointed out.

Although Rwanda may have named Kenneth Gasana, Hamza Ruhezamihigo and Aboubakar Barame in the preliminary squad, they will have to excel to overcome a more experienced Egypt side, a Tanzania home crowd who have not seen their team compete in the Afrobasket since 1974 and neighbours Kenya who last appeared in the continental championship a decade ago.

The one-week tournament is expected to also feature the nationals teams of Burundi, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda and South Sudan.

Should Rwanda secure one of the two places in zone 5, they will join qualified Tunisia, Angola, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Cape Verde, Cameroon, Algeria, Morocco, Central African Republic, Republic of Congo and Burkina Faso.

In late February, Seychelles host FIBA Africa zone 7 for the remaining two places of the tournament.

It is going to be interesting to see how Rwanda national team has evolved from “Rob” who captained the team in the last three editions of Afrobasket.

Júlio Chitunda

FIBA

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