FIBA Basketball

    Former AfroBasket champ Goporo at helm of Central African Republic

    BANGUI (AfroBasket 2015) – The Central African Republic Basketball Federation (FCBB) has appointed Aubin Thierry Goporo as their head coach for the upcoming AfroBasket 2015.

    BANGUI (AfroBasket 2015) - The Central African Republic Basketball Federation (FCBB) has appointed former AfroBasket champion Aubin Thierry Goporo as the men's national team head coach for the upcoming AfroBasket 2015.

    Goporo has replaced his brother Frederic Goporo who guided the Central Africans at AfroBasket 2013.

    The new coach is expected to bring his international experience in their 18th appearance in Africa’s elite competition.

    "[Aubin] Goporo has been chosen due to his knowledge of country's realities. All the Central African basketball stakeholders agreed with his appointment," FCBB's chairman Jean De Dieu Mageot explained to FIBA.com.

    This summer's competition will take place in Nabeul and Tunis, Tunisia (19-30 August), where Goporo and Central African Republic (CAF) were last crowned champions of Africa in 1987 and qualified for the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games.

    Next month, the Central Africans will bring together their home and foreign-based players in a training camp in Spain for the 16-team African tournament.

    ...

    CAF finished 13th at AfroBasket 2013 in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire and most of the basketball stakeholders in the country are pinning their hopes on new coach Goporo to help turn things around.

    "He [Goporo] is now working on the preliminary squad that will be announced this weekend," Mageot said.

    We really expect to make great impact with him [ Goporo] in Tunisia. - Mageot

    The Central Africans, who are dreaming of their third continental title, have started to gather their best players, such as Romain Sato.

    Earlier this month, the 34-year-old who plays for Valencia Basket, in Spain's ACB League, has agreed in principle to represent his national team at AfroBasket 2015.

    If Sato joins the team, he could be a great asset for Central Africa Republic, who have been drawn in Group A, along with hosts Tunisia, Uganda and Nigeria.

    This year's continental championship is qualifying for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro with the winner punching an automatic qualification.

    The runners-up and the team that finishes third will book their places in the 12-team FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT).

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