Uganda’s Silverbacks are gearing up for the final AfroBasket 2025 qualifiers, and the squad just got a major upgrade! Ex-NBA star Ishmail Wainright is back, Robinson Opong is on fire, and Coach Juruni’s squad is locked in. Can they secure the ticket?
Last Updated on
February 14, 2025
Ahead of the final phase of qualifiers, Coach Mandy Juruni has made six changes to the squad that represented Uganda's Silverbacks in the opening window of the 2025 AfroBasket. The head coach will lead Uganda in their quest for a fourth consecutive appearance in the FIBA Men's AfroBasket.
Leading the returning players is former NBA forward Ishmail Wainright, who currently plays for Hapoel Tel Aviv in the BKT EuroCup and the Israeli Basketball Premier League. Joining him are Jimmy Enabu, Peter Obleng, Timothy Wamala, Deng John Geu, and former London Lions forward Jonathan Komagum. The team will compete in Group B, with games set to take place in Tripoli, Libya.
“We have at least half of the team composed of national league players and we have included about 80 percent of those who were available for the opening window to ensure continuity. We, however, have some key players who we missed in February who have played well in previous campaigns.
Having such experience when we don’t have much time for preparation is good. We want to qualify and the squad we have is good for this,” Juruni told the team’s media after their first training on Wednesday 12 February.
The team is set to relocate to Cairo, Egypt, where they will continue their training ahead of the Libya qualifiers, where they will face Cape Verde, Nigeria, and hosts Libya. With only one win from the first window—a 72-62 victory over Nigeria—the Silverbacks will need to elevate their performance. However, the revamped squad gives them an edge.
Uganda opened their qualifying campaign with a 78-73 loss to high-flying Cape Verde, followed by a 71-59 defeat to Libya, finishing the window with a 1-2 record. Wainright was part of Uganda’s squad that reached the quarter-finals for the first time in the 2021 edition, ultimately placing sixth in the 12-team African competition. His presence adds valuable depth to the team.
In a recent interview with FIBA.basketball, Wainright stated that the Silverbacks were a family, adding that he was proud to be Ugandan and would always be ready to play.
“This is an opportunity for me to help the game of basketball in Uganda," he said at the end of Window 4 of FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 African Qualifiers where Uganda failed to qualify.
Also making a return to the team is experienced guard Enabu, one of the key players in City Oilers’ dominance in the national league.
“It feels good to be back. This opportunity is an absolute honour and we are all hoping for the best. We have a good squad and are training hard. We don’t want to leave anything to chance so we will be ready when games come.
We all understand what’s ahead and we are working to put ourselves in the best possible shape to play these back-to-back games. We have to be physically and mentally ready,” Enabu told Silverbacks media.
Meanwhile, Juruni will have the sharpshooting skills of veteran Robinson Opong. On 24 February 2024, Opong set a new record for the most points scored in a single game as the Silverbacks defeated Nigeria. The shooting guard was unstoppable, scoring 24 of his tournament-high 39 points from beyond the arc.
The previous AfroBasket Qualifiers scoring record belonged to Opong's teammate, Wainright, who scored 36 points against Cape Verde in the second window of the 2021 AfroBasket Qualifiers in Alexandria, Egypt. The duo is expected to play a crucial role in propelling the East Africans to qualification.
[Photography Courtesy of FIBA, FUBA]
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