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Between 2018 and now, women’s basketball in Uganda has produced talent to ably compete at the top level.
The Uganda Gazelles will be playing basketball for the first time since the 2018 FIBA Zone V Afrobasket Qualifiers held in Kampala.
The Covid-19 pandemic and lack of funding have played a major part in locking the Gazelles out of action.
This year, however, the Federation of Uganda Basketball Associations (FUBA) got the opportunity to host the qualifiers and this will hand women’s basketball a chance to compete at the high level yet again, in search of a ticket to Afrobasket slated for later this year in Kigali, Rwanda.
Pulse Sports looks at the team in place at the moment, unavailable talent and new kids on the block.
Back then
Team captain Flavia Oketcho is the longest serving member of the team and has been a mainstay since making her debut in 2005.
She is still part of the team and with Ritah Imanishimwe, Sarah Ageno, Zainah Lokwameri, Hope Akello and Brenda Ekone are the only surviving members from the 2018 squad.
The Gazelles squad that failed to qualify for the continental showpiece after falling to Kenya in the semi-finals also had players like Sylvia Nakazibwe and Martha Soigi, who were not selected this time round.
Jamilah Nansikombi and Priscilla Abei have since moved on to play College basketball in the US and are unavailable for head coach Alberto Atuna at this particular point due to the congested schedule with their schools.
Urysla Cotton was the naturalised talent selected by Uganda back then.
New talent
Between 2018 and now, women’s basketball in Uganda has produced talent to ably compete at the top level.
The only challenge for Uganda is the fact that assembling the best players the country has is next to impossible due to the College basketball schedule in the US.
Nansikombi and Abei should be starters in the Gazelles team but can only play Afrobasket if the team makes it through the qualifiers.
Melissa Akullu and Jane Asinde are the other talents awaiting the opportunity to play for the senior team. Akullu is at Vanguard University and has been in outstanding form.
And at 6’1, Uganda could use that size in the paint. But that will have to wait.
Meanwhile, Asinde is also doing wonders at Wichita State Shockers, averaging a double-double of 11.9 points and 11 rebounds this season.
Maria Najjuma will make it for the qualifiers alongside the naturalised talent of Jannon Otto.
To those, add the exciting JKL Lady Dolphins point guard Evelyn Nakiyingi, Shillah Lamunu, the youngest player on the team, Bridget Aber, Agatha Kamwada, Shakira Nanvubya and Perus Nyamwenge and Uganda’s future is in good hands.
Uganda Gazelles: Evelyn Nakiyingi, Shakira Nanvubya, Flavia Oketcho, Ritah Imanishimwe, Brenda Ekone, Perus Nyamwenge, Shillah Lamunu, Leticia Awor, Agatha Kamwada, Zainah Lokwameri, Sarah Ageno, Hope Akello, Bridget Aber, Maria Najjuma, Jannon Otto
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