Roll gearing up to play for AfroBasket 2015 hosts Tunisia

TUNIS (AfroBasket 2015) - Michael Roll may not sound a traditional Tunisian name, but the USA-born naturalised player can't wait to make his international debut for the hosts of this year's AfroBasket.

The 16-team tournament is due to take place from 19-30 August, and Roll is part of a 17-player squad that head coach Adel Tlatli is currently working with in a training camp in Lithuania, where the North Africans will face Latvia in two warm-up games before facing Cameroon in Tunis on 3 August.

Time is going by fast and Tlatli knows one thing for certain: Tunisia need to get over a disappointing 77-67 defeat to Egypt in the Quarter-Finals of AfroBasket 2013 and move on.

The Tunisians will need to play a lot better offensively than they did two years ago in order to win the tournament in front of their fans and secure direct qualification for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

And, Tlatli believes that  Roll could make a difference.

"I hope to add his [international] experience as well as good shooting," he explained to FIBA.com.

"If that's what coach Tlatli wants me to do, I am okay with that," said the 28-year-old. "I shoot from three very well, and I am usually above 40 percent."

The 1.98m shooting guard, who teamed up with Tunisia's ace Salah Mejri at Antwerp Giants in Belgium before joining CAI Zaragoza in Spain's ACB league three years ago, is yet to get used to his new country, but there is only goal in the back of his mind.

"I am excited to get started, really. Everybody has been great to me and I am just trying to play my game and help the team," he offered.

We have a talented group of players, but right now I am just trying to figure out who does what in the team. - Roll

Tunisia are among the frontrunners for Africa's biggest basketball tournament and will be tested in the Preliminary Round when they take on title contenders Nigeria.

The home side will complete their Group A campaign by going up against Central African Republic (CAF) and debutants Uganda.

And Roll, who last season played for Turk Telekom in Turkey's top flight, acknowledges that winning the African Championship at home will require a lot of effort.

"I don't really know much about those teams, but I know [Nigerian-American] Alade [Aminu] from Turkey, and we've been talking about AfroBasket.

"I know that they [Nigeria] have a quality group of players."

But, how exactly did Roll end up wearing the Tunisian jersey?

It's really cool to play for Tunisia. I know that they did really well in the past few years, and made to the Olympics. - Roll

"I played with Salah [Mejri] in Belgium [Antwerp Giants], we stayed friends and kept in touch. One day we were having dinner in Madrid and coach Tlatli was there. We talked a lot, and this is how all started.

"It's my first time in Tunisia and I know that soccer - football - is a big thing in the country, but people here believe in us, which is good.

When asked about the prospect of playing at the Olympics, the former UCLA standout couldn’t hide his delight, saying: "That would be unbelievable. I am just imagining the whole world watching, that would be a dream come true."

Tunisia preliminary squad for AfroBasket 2015: Omar Abada, Mohamed Abassi, Med Ali Ben Ammar, Makram Ben Romdhane, Hamdi Braa, Ziyed Chennoufi, Mourad El Mabrouk, Mokhtar Ghyaza, Mohamed Hadidane, Marouan Kechrid, Nizar Knioua, Salah Mejri, Omar Mouhli, Michael Roll, Amin Rzig, Mehdi Seyeh and Radhouane Slimane.

FIBA