SEN - A big step for Senegal

DAKAR (FIBA Basketball World Cup) - Senegal's return to the FIBA Basketball World Cup since 2006 will be a tough task but a new era in their basketball history.

Senegal who finished third at the AfroBasket 2013 held in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire, have been drawn in the Group B along with Greece, Puerto Rico, Croatia, Argentina and Philippines.

The Senegalese have plenty of talented players in top leagues around the world including the Spain's ACB Liga Endesa, the NBA, the Greek Basket League and France's Ligue Nationale de Basket.

For coach Cheikh Sarr, who has been confirmed at the helm of his native country, the "draw was not very kind" to them.

"We are going to play against big and experienced teams, but this is what the World Cup is all about," he explained to FIBA.com.

Senegal will open their World Cup campaign in the Spanish Southern city of Seville against Greece, a team they lost to at the FIBA World Championship in 1998.

For the Greeks, there will be a very familiar face in Mouhammad Faye who plays for Panelefsiniakos BC in Greece Basket League.

"Argentina count with some of the best performers in the NBA such as Luis Scola, Greece is a top European team, Philippines seems to be a tough opponent too," said Sarr, who successfully replaced Frenchman Alain Weisz after they finished fifth at the AfroBasket 2011 and missed out on the qualification for the London Olympics.

"Despite these tough opponents, I must say that we are competitors, and I am planning to add a few more players to the good roster that we had in Abidjan. We need a good center as well as a good power forward."

Last summer, big man Saer Sene led Senegal in rebounding with 6.7 boards per game, but he is currently recovering from a knee injury.

"I am working closely with the Senegal Basketball Committee and one of our goals in Spain is, at least, to make it to the next round. 

"We know it won't be easy, but we'll play our best to make it happen, and try to win two games or more in the first round," Sarr said.

And Spain 2014 is just the beginning of a new era for Senegal who will be looking at the tournament as a big step towards the AfroBasket 2015.

FIBA