4 Nigerians In Team Africa’s List, As Jr. NBA Global Championship Dunks Off In Orlando, USA

AJELARA NOSIRU IYANDA

All is now set for the second edition of Jr, NBA Global Championship, which holds from 6-11 August in Orlando, Florida, USA.

Four youth players from Nigeria and 23 others from six African nations will represent Africa in the tournament. According to the list as made available by National Basketball Association (NBA, the Nigerian players are Badmus Mistura Bisola and Merit Atebe Innocent made the girls rosters, while Hassan Hesham Amer and Emmanuel Owonibi made the boys rosters.

Other female players in Team Africa include Sandrine Whitney Kamgain (Cameroon),  Penge Lesline Salim (DRC), Jana Ehab (Egypt), Shaza Ayman (Egypt), Kadidia Traore (Mali), Aisha Nhantumbo (Mozambique), Fatou Binetou Cisse (Senegal) and Ndeye Astou Ndiaye (Senegal). They will be handled by Head Coach Bahati Mgunda from Tanzania and his assistant, Senegalese Ndeye Ba.

In the boys category are Marouf Moumine (Cameroon), Said Nkene F. Michel (Cameroon), Ngeleka Kabeya (DRC), Dieu Merci Bolisomi Ilonga (DRC), Badara Aliou Diakite (Mali), Khadim Yassoul Diongue (Senegal),  Limamoulaye Faye (Senegal) and Babacar Djiby Ly (Senegal). They will be coached by Senegalese Samba Fall (Head Coach) and the
Assistant Coach Edison Saranga (Mozambique)
In the inaugural event last year, the Africa & Middle East boys team won the international division to advance to the global championship game where they lost to the U.S. Central boys team and finished as the tournament runner-up. Marouf Moumine (Cameroon), who will be returning with the Africa boys team, was recognized with the Determination Award at last year’s event and is now a member of The NBA Academy Africa in Saly, Senegal.

He joins Said Nkene F. Michel (Cameroon) as the only other male player returning from last year’s team. Sandrine Kagmain (Cameroon) and Kadidia Traore (Mali) will make their second appearance in the Jr. NBA Global Championship after participating on the Africa & Middle East girls team in the inaugural event.