Mayes excited about own Uganda debut at African Qualifiers

ISTANBUL (FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 African Qualifiers) - If his performances in a City Oilers jersey are anything to go by then Jordin Mayes will be a very important player for Uganda at the upcoming World Cup Qualifiers from June 29 -July 1 in Lagos, Nigeria. 

The 26-year old American-born point guard, who is currently with the Silverbacks at an invitational tournament in Istanbul, is excited about the prospects that lie ahead for the East African nation. 

"It is going to be a great environment of basketball. I want to just go out there and compete at the highest level against three great teams and leave it all out there on the floor and leaving Nigeria qualified for the next round of play," Mayes told FIBA.basketball.

"IT IS AN HONOUR TO BE PLAYING FOR THE NATIONAL TEAM, HAVING THE SUPPORT OF UGANDA AND THE TEAM BEHIND ME WELCOMING ME TO BE APART OF SOMETHING SPECIAL TO COME."Mayes

 Mayes' experience on the back court will come in handy in the absence of England-based Josh Johnson who was left out of the squad for personal reasons. 

The sleek point guard will be banking on past chemistry with Robinson Odoch Opong and Jimmy Enabu previously on display for Ugandan league champions City Oilers at the FIBA Africa Champions Cup 2017 in Tunisia where they finished fifth - the highest finish for a Ugandan outfit at the continental showpiece. 

Opong and Enabu are the leading points scorers across all the four groups in the African Qualifiers and together with Mayes, another scoring option, hope to carry Uganda to the next round of qualifiers.

"Going out there and competing as long as we compete, we are going to have a great chance at winning all three games.  We know the other teams are going to come out ready we have to maximise their intensity and make sure we execute the game plan the coach has for us each game," he explained.

"Everybody on the team knows what is at stake and we have to use that to fuel us and make sure we go out there and win some games." 

"This is a great group of guys going to Nigeria from the management to the coaches and to the players. There is good chemistry flowing with the team right now and we cannot wait to get to Nigeria and fight!"

"It is an honor to be playing for the national team and having the support of Uganda and the team behind me and welcoming me to be apart of something special to come."

Uganda sit second in Group B with four points behind unbeaten table leaders Nigeria who amassed six points in the last window last February. Mali and Rwanda are third and fourth respectively behind on goal difference. 

FIBA