Seven teams set to close Qualifiers with new coaches at the helm

 

MONASTIR/YAOUNDE (Tunisia/Cameroon) - In the build-up to the last window of the FIBA AfroBasket 2021 Qualifiers, seven teams made adjustments to their coaching staff.

The reasons for such moves vary from temporary unavailability of their first-choice coaches, tactical decisions to simply poor results.

RWANDA

Tanzanian Henry Mwinuka, who was Rwanda assistant coach, has been promoted to the head coach position, replacing Serbian Vladimir Bosnjak.

Mwinuka has built a successful coaching career in the East African region, having won three Rwanda league titles in four seasons with Patriots Basketball before crossing to arch-rivals Rwanda Energy Group in 2019.

 

The hosts of the FIBA AfroBasket 2021 lost all their three Group D games in November at home by an average of 13 points. 

The Rwandans currently sit last in their group behind Nigeria, South Sudan and Mali.

CAMEROON

Lazare Adie Ngono (main photo) has had several stints with his native Cameroon, and as the Central African country prepares to host the last window of the Qualifiers, he returns at the helm of the 'Indomitable Lions'.

Adie Ngono replaces his now assistant coach Gilles Bouwe, who guided the Cameroonians to a 2-1 in February 2020.

The 43-year-old playcaller, who powered Cameroon to their best AfroBasket result, a third-place finish in 2007, is regarded as one of most talented coaches on the continent of Africa. 

KENYA

Australia-born Elizabeth Mills has been named Kenya head coach in the absence of Cliff Owuor, who is reportedly unavailable due to his commitment with Rwandan side APR Basketball.

Elizabeth Mills served as assistant to Rwanda side Patriots in the last round of the Basketball Africa League (BAL) Qualifiers in 2019

Mills, who had a brief stint as Cameroon assistant coach during the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 African Qualifiers, has previously served as Zambia assistant coach.

Kenya (1-2) sit third in Group B behind Senegal (3-0), Angola (2-1) and ahead of Mozambique (0-3)

GUINEA

Zeljko Zecevic who coached Egypt at AfroBasket 2009, is Guinea's new head coach, having replaced Frenchman Michel Perrin, who coached the Guineans in the First Round.

Serbian Zeljko Zecevic has recently coached Guinea at the FIBA U18 African Championship 2020

Guinea sit bottom of Group C with a 0-3 mark.

SENEGAL

Former AfroBasket MVP Boniface Ndong led his native Senegal to three wins in as many games in the First Round, but his commitment as Development Coach with the NBA Denver Nuggets has prevented him from attending this week's qualifiers action.

Papi Gueye (far right) is seen in his assistant coach duties at FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019

In Ndong's absence, Senegal will be under the tutelage of 43-year-old Senegalese Mamadou Papi Gueye, who has previously served as assistant to Ndong.

MOZAMBIQUE

After losing all three games in the First Round of Group B last November in Kigali, Mozambique Basketball Federation and former head coach Milagre Macome parted ways, prompting the signing of new head coach Mozambican Miguel Guambe. 

NIGERIA

Meanwhile, former African champions Nigeria won't count with the services of Mike Brown due to his NBA job with the Golden State Warriors, and the D'Tigers will be led by American-Nigerian Mfon Udofia, who was part of Nigeria's technical bench at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019.

Nigeria lead Group D with three wins in as many games.

FIBA