USA: Two Congolese among the 20 selected African Jr. NBA Global Championship 2019

Thank you Bolisomi Ilonga andNgeleka Kabeya are two basketball players from the DR Congo selected by the NBA among twenty young people aged 13 to 14 to represent Africa at the second edition of the Jr. NBA Global Championship, a basketball tournament for the best boys and girls around the world. This competition will take place from August 6 to 11, 2019 at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World, near Orlando, Florida.

These 20 young players including 10 girls representing eight African countries were selected by Jr. NBA programs and camps organized across the continent. According to an official statement, Bahati Mgunda (Tanzania) and Samba Fall (Senegal) were chosen to coach the women’s and men’s teams respectively.

African Women’s Team: Shaza Ayman (Egypt), Badmus Mistura Bisola (Nigeria), Fatou Cisse (Senegal), Jana Ehab (Egypt), Merit Atebe Innocent (Nigeria), Sandrine Kamgain (Cameroon), Ndeye Ndiaye (Senegal), Aisha Nhantumbo (Mozambique), Leslie Catherine Njukoua (Cameroon) and Kadidia Traore (Mali).

African Men’s Team: Hassan Amer (Egypt), Badara Aliou Diakite (Mali), Khadim Rassoul Diongue (Senegal), Seydina Limamoulaye Faye (Senegal), Mohamed Fofana (Guinea), Thank God Bolisomi Ilonga (DRC), Ngeleka Kabeya (DRC) Said Nkene F. Michel (Cameroon), Marouf Moumine (Cameroon) and Emmanuel Owonibi (Nigeria).

« Today, the best championship in the world (NBA) recognizes the potential of the DRC by calling these young Congolese to represent Africa. This should prompt the authorities of our country to understand the need and urgency to invest in adequate infrastructure and adapt the policy of mentoring and promoting talented young people so that we can be better represented in the best international championships from which the country can derive huge benefits, « said Joe Nkoi Lolonga, Congo Congo’s fourth vice president of youth basketball, Zoom Eco.

The Jr. NBA Global Championship will bring together the women’s and men’s championships, divided into two competitions: the US division and the international division, which will start with a group stage and continue with a knockout stage. The winners of the US division will face those of the international division in a world final on August 11th.

During the week, the 32 teams will have to participate in selected activities to emphasize the core values ​​of the Jr. NBA program. And to provide, players will have the opportunity to participate in daily life workshops, Disney Park tours and a community work project, not to mention memorable memories in the field.

In the first edition last year, the men’s team of Africa and the Middle East won the international division before losing in the final of the world championship, against the team of the center of the United States, thus finishing vice-champion of the tournament.

Harris KASONGO