Morocco bring new head coach in last bid for AfroBasket qualification

RABAT (Morocco) - Labib El Hamrani has been appointed head coach of Morocco's men national team, the Royal Moroccan Basketball Federation confirmed on Monday. 

The 50-year-old has become the team's third head coach in the last four years after his fellow Moroccans Said El Bouzidi and Naoufal Uariachi.

El Hamrani, who has recently coached local side AS FAR, has served as Morocco assistant on numerous occasions.

Labib El Hamrani (second from left) 

He was El Bouzidi' assistant during Morocco's memorable 2017 AfroBasket when they stunned the continent to finish fourth, after beating the likes of Africa powerhouses Angola and Egypt. It was Morocco's best AfroBasket campaign in 37 years.

Two years later, El Hamrani returned to his Morocco assistant coach post under El Bouzidi during the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup African Qualifiers, though his country fell short of securing one of the five tickets available for African countries for the China 2019 showdown. Morocco finished with a 4-8 mark.

The new Morocco head coach has replaced Uariachi, who led Morocco in the first and the second round of the 2021 AfroBasket Qualifiers.

Under Uariach, Morocco finished 0-3 in the first round of the Qualifiers in Alexandria, Egypt. Three months later, Uariachi's Morocco finished 1-1 in Monastir, Tunisia.

 
El Hamrani takes the reins of Morocco who will face a do-or-die clash against Uganda next month at home, in a game that will determine whether or not Morocco can secure one of Group E's three tickets for the 2021 AfroBasket, which will be held in Kigali, Rwanda, from August 24 to September 5.

Morocco (1-4) currently sit third in Group E ahead of Uganda (2-1) who have two games in hand.

Uganda's games in the second round of this year's AfroBasket Qualifiers were postponed and rescheduled due to the health concerns. As well as Morocco, the 'Silverbacks' will play Cape Verde, but won't face already-qualified Egypt.

El Hamrani's top priority is to help Morocco qualify for their eleventh straight FIBA AfroBasket. If Morocco beat Uganda next month, they will move on to the Final Phase of this year's Africa's flagship tournament and would be placed in either Group A or E.

FIBA