FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments

Aboya answers call to serve young ballers and Indomitable Lions

“YOU have to leave things before things leave you.” This was the philosophical answer of Cameroon-born coach Alfred Aboya when asked why he retired early in his professional playing career.

Aboya says his body took a pounding on the court, and after six years, he listened to it (his body) and decided to call it quits. Despite calling it a day as a player, the game still flowed in his veins, and coaching would be his next port of call. While learning the ropes of calling the shots from the sidelines, Aboya also decided to further his education.

“I have had a few knee surgeries – a total of six. So when your body gets beat down the way mine did, then you have to find other avenues,” said Aboya. “I tried different things. I decided to be a graduate assistant to get my Masters. During that time, I was figuring other things out.

“Those two years I worked to get my Masters and working as a graduate assistant, I found myself again. I got the calling. I was able to do that (coaching) at the college and moved to a G League team, Iowa Wolves.”

Alfred Aboya in Johannesburg — **Alfred Aboya says the NBA Academy has elevated youth basketball in Africa. Pictures: The BTO**

Following the G League stint, Aboya returned to the African continent, where he felt his knowledge would be of greater use to the youngsters at the Senegal-based NBA Academy.

“I felt my expertise would have a significant impact on the continent, so when the Academy called I moved back. I was also able to join the (Cameroon) national team as an assistant,” said the former UCLA Bruins player.

Aboya also highlighted the work of the Academy on the continent. “The Academy works with an exclusive group of kids. There are 54 countries in Africa, and its stronghold is the youth. So we can only select a few of them – and they are the best in their age group,” said Aboya.

“The one thing they bring to practice is their energy and a willingness to work. We impact kids here year in and year out – when other kids around the continent see that, it motivates them,” said Aboya. “Last year, we had Ulrich (Chomche) in the Academy – now he is in the NBA. I think that can only motivate his peers that are still there. It also validates the work that we do on the ground – being able to develop talent. And it’s talent that is able to leave the continent straight to the NBA. That is the most gratifying thing since I joined the Academy.”

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Still on grassroots, especially in Cameroon, Aboya is happy they are sending the men and women teams to the U18 AfroBasket in South Africa (September 1 – September 14). Aboya pointed out that Cameroon has been in the wilderness in youth competitions, and investing in the future has become crucial.

“For the longest time, Cameroon has not had junior under-18 teams. We have had athletes who left the country to make careers overseas,” said Aboya. “Youth development is important because kids develop friendships early. When they get to the seniors, they know each other. It (development) helps with the team’s cohesion.

“It’s fantastic. The federation is doing a great thing by sending the youth to these competitions.”

While the juniors prepare for battle in South Africa, Aboya must prepare the senior men’s team for the 2025 AfroBasket qualifiers in November.

Before speaking on the (AfroBasket) qualifiers, he reflected on the experience of their Latvia leg of the Olympic Qualifying Tournaments (OQT). Cameroon saw their valiant pursuit for a spot in the Olympics halted by the host nation in the semi-finals earlier in July.

“It was one thing to qualify for the Olympic Qualifying Tournament and another to participate in it. The big lesson (from the Olympic qualifiers) was that we could compete with the so-called big basketball nations,” said Aboya, who was on a similar stage as a player ahead of the 2008 Beijing Games. “We competed against Georgia, which is 68th in the world, Montenegro (ranked 17th), Latvia (ranked 62nd) and Brazil, which is ranked 12th. And we beat them (Brazil) and lost to Montenegro by four, so we could hang with those countries.

“We belong. It is matter of going back and organising our basketball from the youth level. We must ensure the national team is enticing for our star players and that they find pride wearing that jersey.”

**Alfred Aboya has high hopes for Cameroon in the AfroBasket qualifiers. Picture: FIBA**

With the AfroBasket qualifiers around the corner, Aboya feels like all eyes will be on Cameroon, who are in Group C alongside Senegal, Rwanda and Gabon.

“Now that we have had a bit of success, other players will want to be part of the team. I’m sure we will have a bigger pool of players to work with. It will be a great problem for us,” said Aboya. “… I am looking forward to that (AfroBasket Qualifiers). It will be a hell of a competition. We saw what South Sudan has accomplished. And they have set the bar so high, first at the World Cup (in 2023) and recently at the Olympics.

“There are great teams at the qualifiers. I hope the actual tournament will be the same. I am trying to find adjectives to explain what kind of tournament we can expect… It will be a highly competitive tournament.”

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Can Côte D’Ivoire rise to the occasion in Olympic qualifiers?

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CÔTE d’Ivoire has established a strong tradition of basketball excellence on the continent over the past three decades. They will begin their quest for a first-time appearance at the Olympic Games, by trying to qualify through the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Team Profile: The West African nation won two FIBA African Championships (AfroBasket) in 1981 and 1985 and earned four silver medals, with their most recent medal (again silver) coming at the 2021 edition. Les Éléphants have consistently demonstrated their determination and competitiveness, solidifying themselves as a formidable basketball nation.

**Solo Diabate will look to crown his career by helping Cote d’Ivoire qualify for the Olympic Games. Pictures: FIBA**

The team will participate in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament games in San Juan, Puero-Rico (2-7 July). They are in Group A alongside Mexico and Lithuania.

Star Players: Côte d’Ivoire will rely on veteran point guard and floor general, Souleymane Diabaté. Diabaté, who made three clutch free throws in Les Éléphants’ sole win over Iran at the 2023 World Cup, concluded the recent BAL season as runner-up with Al Ahly Benghazi, where he averaged 11.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 1.8 steals per game. Diabaté is a dependable scorer and facilitator who will also offer Les Éléphants perimeter defence in the upcoming games.

Since wearing the Orange vest of the Côte d’Ivoire Jean Phillipe Dally has been an important cog for the Les Elephants. Dally’s ability to score and crash boards have made him a constant feature for his country.

During the FIBA World Cup, averaged 10.8 points per game and 2.4 rebounds per game, and at the recent 2025 AfroBasket qualifiers, the shooting guard numbers jumped to 12 points per game and 5.3 assists per game.

Coach: Spanish coach Natxo Lezkano, who was with the team from 2011-2015 and returned in 2020, will be the head coach. Lezkano’s familiarity with the team will help identify areas for improvement as they analyze results from preparation games leading up to their first match in San Juan.

**Jean Phillipe Dally has been a key contributor for the Elephants in major tournaments.**

The team has undergone preparations for the OQT without recording a win but has significantly improved, reducing the scoring margin from their first loss against Belgium (88-63). In their second game against the Dominican Republic, they lost 69-67 despite Mo Bamba’s 12 points, six rebounds, and three assists. In their final encounter against Portugal, they lost 91-84.

Les Éléphants have proved themselves as a strong outfit in continental play but have yet to find their footing on the international stage. The team struggled to find their offensive footing during the World Cup, but can they come together in Puerto Rico to make Paris 2024 a reality?

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Can Rödl’s Olympic experience rub off on Egypt in qualifiers?

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EGYPT has a storied basketball history, marked by their triumphs in the FIBA Africa Championships (AfroBasket). The country’s competitive domestic league, sports governance and top-notch facilities have made it a hub for the Basketball Africa League.

While their presence on the global stage is still growing, their performance at the 2023 FIBA World Cup, where they secured two wins out of five, was a promising start. They narrowly missed direct qualification to this year’s Paris Olympics after a close 88-86 loss to New Zealand at the World Cup.

To stamp the ticket to Paris, the Pharoahs must now journey through the Olympic Qualifying Tournaments, scheduled for Tuesday (2-7 July). Greece, one of four host countries of the qualifiers, is where Egypt will begin their quest to end a 36-year Olympic hiatus.

Leading the Pharoah’s hopes of a long-awaited appearance at the Games is German coach Henrick Rödl, who previously led his home country to the Tokyo Games. Rödl boasts an impressive CV as a player and coach, so the Egyptians will feel comfortable that their German mentor is well-equipped to lead the Pharaohs to success.

In an interview with The Big Tip-Off, Coach Rödl, an NCAA champion during his playing days at North Carolina University and a German Cup trophy as coach of ALBA Berlin, gave insights on Egypt’s team chemistry and their aspiration of making the Olympics.

**Former Germany coach Henrik Rodl says it was an easy decision to take up the Egyptian coaching job. Pictures: FIBA**

Rödl was already coaching in Egypt when he took over from Roy Rana at the start of the year. The two had a history together as Rana served as Rödl’s assistant coach during the Tokyo Olympics.

“When I heard that the head coach position for the national team was open… It didn’t take me very long to decide. I know the people there and most of the players I have worked with. I feel very comfortable with the players and the staff,” said the former Al Ittihad Alexandria coach.

On the tactical side, his (Rödl) collaboration and shared philosophy with Rana made the transition into the national team smooth for Rodl. The German explained, “A lot of the stuff that I emphasize, they have already heard from coach Roy Rana. We have a very similar system, especially at the defensive end.”

To qualify for Paris, Rödl will bank on the synergy the players built through competing against one another over the years in domestic competition.

“I think that is the big advantage of this group… They are very familiar with each other. They know each other, they like each other, and they play well together,” Rödl said.

Preparation for the tournament, although brief due to varying season lengths, has been focused on reinforcing the team’s core fundamentals.

“Right now the first sessions have been about us trying to implement the base, offensively, defensively and just the ground rules. The fine-tuning has to come from playing,” explains Rödl.

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Egypt has played preparation games against Cameroon, Latvia and Georgia. Unfortunately, the Pharaohs went winless, going 0-3 in their fixtures. Reflecting on the loss against the Indomitable Lions, who notched a 78-74 victory, Rödl felt the friendly games were primarily about refining their base strategy, identifying areas for improvement, and adapting to different opponents.

“Cameroon was a tough opponent for our first game. They are a strong, athletic team that plays hard defensively. This made it difficult for some of our players to get into their offence. This is the kind of challenge we can expect in the qualifiers,” said Rödl. “Transitioning from practice to a game is never flawless, but it’s not supposed to be. It’s a time to identify the areas that need work.”

Looking ahead to Greece, Group B presents a formidable challenge for Egypt, with matchups against Greece and the Dominican Republic. The top two teams advance to the next round to face the top two from Group A, which includes Croatia, New Zealand, and Slovenia.

Despite Egypt being underdogs, a situation familiar to Rödl, the team remains focused. The experienced coach’s approach is based on executing game plans effectively, capitalising on strengths, and leveraging tactical advantages in each match.

“Qualifying for Tokyo with the German team, we were not the favourite by far because we were missing many players. This (Olympic Qualifiers) is somewhat similar, where we know we are the underdogs in most of the games. But we have a very good spirit, a fighting spirit. We play hard and we play together. If we do this, then good things can happen,” said Rödl. “The first game is important for both teams – the Dominican Republic and us. So, we will try to prepare the best we can to give ourselves a chance to win. And if that can happen, we have another chance to win (against Greece).”

Henrik Rodl leading Germany — **Henrik Rodl says being part of the Olympic Games was a special moment.**

Egypt’s greatest strength is its collective spirit, resilience, and determination to succeed. Their performance in last year’s FIBA World Cup marked the beginning of a new chapter for the North African nation. Their story will continue this week as they strive to secure a spot in the 2024 Paris Games.

Rodl, already well-versed in the Olympics experience reflected on what he called a “special event”.

“It is an honour to be in this Olympic Qualifying tournament. It is an honour to be part of the Olympic spirit. Being in the Olympics is perhaps the most special feeling. This is one of the most special events in the world of sports. We are lucky to be there, as coaches and athletes,” said Rödl.

Egypt is undoubtedly a talented team and they will be hopeful that Rödl has the right formula to mastermind a successful qualifying campaign for the North Africans in Greece.

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Egypt’s Pharoahs will fancy their chances in tricky group

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EGYPT will be one of Africa’s representatives in one of the legs of the Olympic Qualifying Tournaments starting on Tuesday. The North Africans will compete in Piraeus, Greece from 2-7 July for a ticket to the Paris Games.

Team Profile: Egypt

Egypt has a strong basketball tradition in Africa. Nicknamed the Pharaohs, Egypt has achieved significant success on the continent, including the best result of any African basketball team at the Olympics. They have won the second most FIBA Africa Championships, also known as AfroBasket, with five titles, trailing only Angola.

Egypt’s basketball team achieved their best Olympic result by finishing ninth in 1952. However, they have not participated in the Olympics for 36 years. Their last appearance was the 1988 Summer Games in South Korea.

Ehab Amin in action for Egypt — **Ehab Amin has been a star of the Egyptian team. Pictures: FIBA**

After an impressive performance at the 2023 World Cup, where they narrowly missed qualifying directly for the Olympics, Egypt is now preparing to compete in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Greece for their chance to secure a spot.

Star Players: Abdel Nader, a star in the NBL, will be making his national team debut. With experience in both the NBA and the G-League, his addition to the team will provide an extra scoring option and second-chance opportunities. He averaged 14.4 points and 3.0 rebounds per game while playing with the South East Melbourne Phoenix this past season.

The Pharaohs will also benefit from the existing team chemistry, particularly from the Al Ahly players who just concluded the BAL season together. Ehab Amin and Patrick Gardener will be crucial pieces for the Pharaohs.

Amin will play a prime role in the team’s success. Averaging 19.4 points, 5.6 assists, and 4.6 rebounds per game at the FIBA World Cup last year, he will be crucial in providing perimeter defence to limit the three-point threat of Greece and the Dominican Republic – teams that boast NBA talent.

Egyptian American forward Gardener, at 6ft 11, will bring versatile scoring to the team. He shoots well from behind the arc and has a soft touch at the rim. His physical presence will be crucial in contests in the paint.

Patrick Gardner in action for Egypt — **Patrick Gardner’s versatility as a scorer makes him a threat for Egypt.**

Group B Match Ups & Outlook: Egypt will face Greece and the Dominican Republic – possibly a tricky group for the Pharaohs.

Following the loss against Cameroon in the friendly preparation game last week, the Egyptians will have to work on plugging the holes in their armoury. Amin did not suit up for the encounter against the Indomitable Lions, who took advantage of that, making their bread and butter from the three-point line as the North Africans struggled to adjust.

The biggest challenge for the Egyptians could be Giannis Antetokoumpo and Greece. Antetokoumpo, known as the Greek Freak, will pose a threat at both ends of the paint, with his height and length. The North Africans could believe they have a slight edge over the Dominican Republic, who will be without Karl Anthony Towns and Al Horford. Should Egypt advance out of their group, they will likely face Ivan Zubac and Croatia, Luka Dončič and Slovenia or New Zealand.

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Indomitable Lions will bring their physicality to Olympic qualifiers

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CAMEROON could have the element of surprise on their side when they begin their FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament journey in Riga, Latvia (2-7 July). The Indomitable Lions, an unknown quantity, surprised many by getting this far, but can they go further in this year’s qualifiers?

Team Profile: Cameroon

The Indomitable Lions will be regarded by many, including their opponents and neutrals, as the underdogs of the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT). But this crop of Cameroon players will be unbothered by the tag of underdogs as they vie for a ticket to the Paris Games (26 July – 11 August).

It will be Cameroon’s second attempt at qualifying for the Games after having a dismal campaign in 2008 OQT, where the Lions could not win a single fixture.

Jeremiah Hill of Cameroon — **Cameroon’s star player Jeremiah Hill will be expected to raise the bar in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament. Pictures: FIBA**

Star Players: Cameroon will lean on the talent of naturalised point guard Jeremiah Hill, who helped the Central African nation secure their ticket in the pre-qualifiers in Nigeria last year.

Hill’s 18 points per game, three rebounds per game and 9.3 assists helped contribute to Cameroon’s unbeaten run in the pre-Olympic Qualifiers. In a recent interview with FIBA Africa, Hill said the Lions will bring their “own African style” in the qualifiers.

“It will be hard… But they are players like we are players. We will bring our own African style. We are going to have to be physical. I think that will be our biggest advantage. Hopefully, it will go well,” said Hill.

Another key player for Cameroon is Jordan Bayehe of the Italian club New Basket Brindisi, who made his presence felt for the Lions with 13.8 points per game, eight rebounds per game and 1.5 assists per game in the qualifiers.

Samir Gbetkom became a key contributor to the Lions during the pre-Olympic qualifiers with 11.5 points per game, 2.3 rebounds per game and 3.5 assists per game. Gbetkom, who plays in the French Pro-B, has made a huge leap for Cameroon since playing in the 2021 AfroBasket and 2023 FIBA World Cup qualifiers.

Coach: Alfred Aboya, a former national team player, will remember the disappointing campaign of 2008. Having helped Cameroon successfully navigate the pre-qualifier hurdle, Aboya could see these Olympic Qualifying tournaments as his shot at making amends for missing out on the Games 16 years ago.

Alfred Aboya coaching Cameroon — **Cameroon coach Alfred Aboya is familiar with the Olympic Qualifying Tournament terrain.**

Group B Match-Ups: Cameroon will face a strong Montenegro team in their opening group game and South American juggernaut Brazil, two-time World Cup winners.

The Cameroonians will have received a significant confidence boost going into the qualifiers after defeating Egypt and Georgia in friendly games. But the true test of Cameroon’s character will be in their two Group B Games.

Outlook: It would be much easier to write off the chances of Cameroon in the upcoming qualifiers because of their lack of experience, and even if their task looks impossible, this group got this far by doing the impossible.

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Ogoke talks D’Tigress journey and Olympic Games quest

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SARAH Ogoke’s journey with Nigeria’s D’Tigress started 13 years ago (2011) when she was a junior in college. She received a call-up to represent Nigeria in the Women’s AfroBasket in Mali, and from there, she has been part of building the D’Tigress into a powerhouse.

Although Nigeria finished the AfroBasket in fourth place that year, the experience marked her journey towards winning four consecutive AfroBasket titles (from 2017).

The already accomplished Ogoke now has the potential to achieve another milestone with the D’Tigress – becoming an Olympian. Ogoke and Nigeria are on a quest for a ticket to this year’s Olympic Games in Paris. Their journey to Paris begins at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament, which tipped off in Antwerp, Belgium on Thursday.

In an interview with The Big Tip Off, American-born Ogoke discusses her experience as a D’Tigress, captaining the team, the upcoming Olympic Qualifiers, and their ambitions.

Nigeria's D'Tigresses — **Sarah Ogoke (7, extreme right) will lead the D’Tigresses in the quest for an Olympic ticket. Pictures: FIBA**

Ogoke, spent most of her youth in Nigeria, even attending nursery school there. Although growing up in the States, she frequently visited the West African nation during summers and Christmas holidays.

“I always wanted to have that opportunity to represent my homeland. When I got that call-up, I was extremely proud and excited to represent my country,” said Ogoke.

When the national team call-up arrived (in 2011), Ogoke achieved one of her dreams. At the time, she was the only college player on the team, with all her teammates being professionals. She found it very encouraging. Since then, the team improved with each tournament.

The team’s progress runs parallel to her personal growth. She is currently studying for her PhD in at the New York College of Podiatric Medicine.

“You know, I would say in my first three AfroBaskets we just got closer and closer to winning. In 2017 came first… From there it has been a consistent climb for the program,” said the Ogoke 33-year-old. “We just keep getting better and better.”

Ogoke acknowledges balancing a demanding academic and athletic schedule is like walking a tightrope.

“Its been everything. Its been extremely important. I played Division One basketball and I was a biology major. So believe it or not, I’ve been juggling high-level athletics and intense high level academics for a long, long time. I won’t say its been easy, but its not something new to me. I’ve been doing this since I was like 17 or 18 years old,” said Ogoke, winner of the 2019 FIBA African Women’s Champions Cup with Mozambique’s Ferroviario de Maputo.

She recently took on the high-pressure job of captaining Nigeria. A role she accepted ahead of last year’s AfroBasket in Rwanda. Ogoke would lead the team to the title, a process she feels brought on a different accountability.

“I take a lot of pride in being the captain. Being the veteran on the team, I have to lead and be the best example for the younger players on the team,” said Ogoke.

“I would say I have always been relevant to the team, but once attaining that captain status, it gave me a lot of confidence to show up… Especially as a veteran.

“I cannot rely on anyone else. As a former role player, I was able to win titles, but now that I have the captain status, the responsibility for winning or losing falls solely on me. Therefore, I took this responsibility very seriously and did my best to help the team achieve our goals.”

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While she (Ogoke) led on the floor during the championship run, Rena Wakama called the shots from the bench. Wakama became the youngest and first female coach that the federation appointed. She was also the first female coach to win the AfroBasket.

“It’s been phenomenal, Coach Rena knows how to get us going, to motivate us, she can relate to us,” said the shooting guard.

Ogoke had high praise for Wakama’s leadership of the team.

“She is a woman. She is young, so it is like playing with a friend, or a big sister,” says Ogoke. “I feel like it made us much closer because she is much more relatable to us being a young woman. It’s been an absolute pleasure and joy playing for her.”

The D’Tigress arrived in Belgium four days before the start of The Qualifying Tournament – a similar situation to the 2023 AfroBasket. As a result, they have had limited time to prepare. Despite this challenge, they have created a team DNA of being undeterred.

“Nigerians are naturally perseverant, naturally prone to just getting things done regardless of our circumstances,” says Ogoke. “This is a young team but this team is extremely mature as well, we never make excuses and we always do our best to make the best the best out of everything we’re given.”

D'Tigresses — **Sarah Ogoke holds AfroBasket winning coach team coach Rena Wakama in high regard.**

D’Tigress began their Olympics campaign against a familiar foe, Senegal, whom they beat to clinch their fourth AfroBasket title. Nigeria won the match 72- 65. Ogoke, who scored 11 points and dished out five dimes, was complimentary of their West African neighbours ahead of the game.

“Senegal is a great team, they take a lot of pride in their program. They can’t be taken lightly, only our best we will do,” said Ogoke. “They have solid team, with a new coach (Alberto Antuna) so we’re gonna go in and do our absolute best and play hard.”

The Nigerian team will play the USA on Friday and Belgium on Sunday. Two tickets are available for their group, so winning at least one match improves their chances of qualifying for the Olympics.

“The main thing is that this is an opportunity that may never come again, there is only ever gonna be one Paris 2024 Olympics,” said Ogoke. “This is our chance to capture a ticket and become Olympians… To sew our name in sports history for all of eternity. So we have to go there understanding what is at stake and give it our all.”

Ogoke and D’Tigress have their work cut out for them, but they have risen to the occasion before, even when conditions don’t favour them.

With a ticket to Paris at stake, you can be sure the D’Tigress will have the tenacity and will to get the job done.

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Antuña adapting and fine tuning Senegal for Olympic qualifiers

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WHEN Alberto Antuña arrived in Africa to take on the role of head coach for the Ugandan national women’s team, he learned one of the most important lessons in his first year on the continent: You cannot be too rigid in your ways and must be able to adapt quickly.

The lesson came after a loss to Kenya last year during the FIBA AfroBasket qualifiers. From that point, Antuña’s perspective changed.

He recalls the first game he coached (against Kenya). Many ideas flowed in his head, and he tried to implement them all, resulting in the loss. The experience made him realise he had to adapt and that pride had no place in winning.

Antuña is an experienced coach who has worked across Europe in the club circuit and at the national team level. After leading Uganda’s Gazelles at the 2023 FIBA Afrobasket in Rwanda, he landed Senegal’s women’s team head coach position.

In an interview with The Big Tip Off, Antuña discussed his time with the Gazelles, his new position with Senegal, and his hopes for their upcoming Olympic qualifying campaign.

Antuña’s appointment as coach of the Gazelles was not in the cards for him until just a few months before the February 2023 FIBA Afrobasket qualifiers.

“I honestly did not expect it,” recalls Antuña. “I remember in November of 2022, I was in the middle of the Eurobasket qualifiers with the national team of Montenegro. The president of the (Uganda) federation emailed me to inquire about my availability. He told me about the idea of me taking the head coach position in Uganda to work towards the qualifiers for the (2023) Afrobasket.”

Alberto Antuna with Uganda's national team. — **Alberto Antuña says he coached one Uganda’s best generations of players at last year’s AfroBasket in Rwanda. Pictures: FIBA**

Antua agreed to take the job after positive discussions with the FUBA… And the rest, as they say, is history.

Antuña feels fortunate to have had a team that was receptive and ready to learn with very little time for preparation. He considers that group of players as the best generation the East African nation has produced.

“The team had a really good connection and the girls trusted that we had a chance to win. That gave us the chance to compete and that’s how I managed in that first game against Mali. We competed well and secured a big win,” said Antuña. “That win, along with our victory against Senegal made it clear to the group that we were a different team. We were ready to compete every time we stepped on the court.”

During his tenure as coach of the Gazelles, Antuña led the team to six victories out of 11 games. It was their best performance yet, placing them seventh in Afrobasket. Despite the team’s success, Antuña announced his departure shortly after Afrobasket. He believed that leaving would be in his best interests and that of the Ugandan team.

The Spaniard explained, “I made the decision a few weeks after Afrobasket, and it wasn’t due to any issue with the federation. I chose to leave because the next competition would be in early 2025… That would be too much time before the next competition. I am very young and still very driven, so I want to be competing and managing teams.”

After his departure, Antuña admits he had no offers from other national teams. When Senegal parted ways with Moustapha Gaye after finishing second behind Nigeria in the AfroBasket, Antuña seized the initiative and contacted the West African nation’s federation.

“After my time with the Gazelles came to an end, I reached out to Senegal,” said Antuña. “I saw that they were looking for a coach and I was free [now] and ready to lead the team. I am also familiar with them, I know the talent that they possess because some of their players play in Europe and Spain especially.”

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Antuña’s first order of duty will be leading Senegal at the Olympic qualifying tournament in Antwerp, Belgium (8 February – 11 February). He will not have much time with the team because of the players’ club commitments.

The Movistar Estudiantes coach says his priority will be on-court preparations and building connections with players. He has already made contact with some of the Senegal team players.

The Lionesses will face off against familiar foes Nigeria, the USA, and Belgium. Despite the magnitude of the assignment, Antuña looks forward to the competition and the opening game against Nigeria.

“I think everyone knows that the big game for us is the one against Nigeria. It is the first game, the most important game, and probably the one I am putting a lot of focus on, in terms of scouting, analysing the players, and understanding the way they coach,” said Antuña.

Senegal have appeared in two Olympic Games, the first in 2000 and the second in 2016. In their two appearances, they finished in 12th place. Can Antuña lead them to a third appearance later this year (26 July – 11 August) in Paris, France?

Alberto Antuna during the AfroBasket — **Alberto Antuna believes Senegal will be competitive at the Olympic Qualifiers.**

Beyond the Qualifiers, Antuña is committed to working alongside the Senegalese federation to make The Lionesses synonymous with success again.

“I want to make Senegal successful. I want to grow with them. Senegal has been the best in the history of women’s basketball on the continent but obviously, in the last 10 years Nigeria has been dominating,” says Antuña. “My goal is to end that reign. I have to build the best team possible for us to compete in the big tournaments like The Olympics and the World Cup, but it won’t be easy.”

As a coach, he wishes to continue his personal growth. He wants to develop his coaching style and adapt to each situation.

“Although I have gained experience over the past eight years, I am still a young coach. I am determined to prove myself by coaching in various countries and coaching styles. This will not only make me a better coach, but also a better person. It will also demonstrate my ability to adapt to different cultures and nations,” said Antuña.

As he takes on his new role as Senegal’s coach, he faces a new challenge with a team he believes has immense talent. However, with his experience and expertise, there is no doubt he’ll help the Lionesses in their quest to secure a spot at the Olympics.

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