Central Africans select 12 players for historic return to Women's AfroBasket
BANGUI (FIBA Women's AfroBasket 2017) - The Central African Republic (CAF) have selected their twelve players to mark their first FIBA Women's AfroBasket appearance in more than four decades.
BANGUI (FIBA Women's AfroBasket 2017) - The Central African Republic (CAF) have selected their twelve players to mark their first FIBA Women's AfroBasket appearance in more than four decades.
Six players, who tried to ensure CAF's direct qualification via FIBA Africa Zone 4 last June against the Democratic Republic of Congo, will return in Bamako, while six other have been dropped out of the team.
Among the absentees is Alexandra Kotta, who led the Central Africans with a team-high average of 15.5 points during the qualifiers. Kotta's two other sisters Claudia and Maureen are also out the final roster.
Meanwhile, head coach Wilfred Gbongo made sure to secure the presence of Abeti Kossi, who averaged 13 points and a team-high 8.5 rebounds during the two-game series qualifiers.
| Central African Republic 12-player final roster for FIBA Women's AfroBasket 2017 | |||
| Chacella Derebona | Isabelle Djel | Deborah Eyene | Estelle Gaombalet |
| Gabriela Guegbelet | Ketia Kalene | Claudie Chimene Yagba Kokito | Abeti Kossi |
| Nina Koumba | Winnie Ngbonga | Princesse M’baye Ndack | Hortensia Yamalet |
From Friday, August 18, CAF, who last competed in FIBA Africa's most important women competition in 1974, will play in Group Phase A against hosts Mali, Angola, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire and Tunisia.
The finalists in the 12-team Bamako showdown will represent Africa at 2018 FIBA Women's AfroBasket in Spain.
FIBA