Wegscheider, U17 World Cup sextet highlight list of campers for BWB Africa camp

MIES (Basketball Without Borders Africa Camp) - The Basketball Without Borders Africa Camp 2018 will feature one player who has already played at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Africas Qualifiers as well as a sextet of youngsters who appeared at the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2018.

The 16th BWB Africa camp will run from August 1-4 at the American International School of Johannesburg, South Africa and include 56 boys and 25 girls ages 17 and under. The campers will have the privilege of learning invaluable lessons on and off the court from BWB Africa graduates Joel Embiid and Pascal Siakam and other NBA stars such as Bismack Biyombo, Luol Deng, Cheick Diallo, Joel Embiid, Danilo Gallinari, Rudy Gay, Serge Ibaka, JaVale McGee, Khris Middleton and Hasan Whiteside.

The biggest accomplishment thus far by any of the campers comes from Kurt-Curry Wegscheider, who has already played in the African Qualifiers for China 2019 when suiting up for Central African Republic (CAF). Wegscheider, who didn't turn 17 until May, averaged 1.8 points and 0.8 rebounds in 7.9 minutes over six games in the first group stage, highlighted by 4 points and 2 rebounds against Mozambique.

Kurt-Curry Wegscheider playing at the BWB Global Camp 2018.

But the guard, who also appeared at the BWB Global Camp 2018 last February during the NBA All-Star Weekend, is not the only camper to watch in South Africa this week.

Egypt will be represented by five players - all of whom played at the U17 World Cup in Argentina - topped by Youssef Elmadawy, who led the team in scoring, rebounds, assists and steals in that competition.

Youssef Elmadawy of Egypt was one of the best players at the FIBA U17 World Cup 2018

Mohamed Keita also played at the U17 World Cup, averaging 8.0 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.4 blocks for the FIBA U16 African Championship 2017 winners Mali. 

Amir Bouzidi was Algeria's leading scorer at last year's U16 African Championship and will be one of two players from his country in Johannesburg along with Ziad Chenieff, the top rebounder on the team that finished third in Mauritius. 

Fourth place in that tournament went to Tunisia, who have two players in the BWB Africa Camp from that U16 side in Wajih Chebbi and Zied Mehrez.

Amar Sylla is one of eight Senegalese heading to South Africa and the lanky, athletic forward has already built up a name in Europe playing for Spanish powerhouse Real Madrid.

The Angolan quartet of Angelo Alexandre, Jose Cabasu, Elias Matondo and Emanuel Sebastiao meanwhile will get some international exposure as they were unable to play at last summer's U16 African tournament since Angola did not play in the competition.

On the girls side, campers from four countries played at last year's FIBA U16 Women's African Championship.

Aissetou Kone guided Mali to the title at the FIBA U16 Women's Africa Championship 2017 and now will play at the 2018 BWB Africa Camp.

From champions Mali, Aissetou Kone and Lalla Traore are the three players in the camp.

Yara Hussein played for the third-placed Egypt last summer and will be one of two Egyptians in South Africa.

Suraya Rijal was Mozambique's leading rebounder and Chana Paxixe also played in the U16 tournament, while Maria Mutengo is Zimbabwe’s only representative after she led the team in second and assists and was second in rebounds.

Click here to view the full list of campers.

FIBA