Alexandria, Egypt: The Uganda Silverbacks have received a timely boost with the arrival of naturalised guard Nike Dejur Sibande as they step up preparations for the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup African Qualifiers.
Sibande jetted into camp on Saturday and linked up with the squad in Alexandria, where Uganda is holding a residential training camp ahead of the first qualification window.
His arrival was followed by Deng Gui on Monday morning, completing coach Goran Lojo’s roster as the team fine-tunes for what promises to be a demanding Group D campaign.
“We are doing well in training so far, putting in the hard work and trying to do what the coaches are telling us,” Sibande said.
“We did not do well in our last outing. Things did not go as planned, but we want to do better this time and make our country proud.”
Redemption Mission
Uganda heads into the qualifiers seeking redemption after a disappointing showing at the 2023 AfroBasket tournament in Angola, where the Silverbacks finished bottom of their group following defeats to Senegal, Mali and Egypt.
Center Jonathan Komagum, one of Uganda’s standout performers on the boards during AfroBasket, said the team is focused on correcting past mistakes.
Komagum averaged 13 rebounds per game in Angola but struggled offensively, managing 5.3 points per game and converting just two of his eight free-throw attempts.
Now with a full squad in camp, the Silverbacks are working to sharpen both ends of the floor ahead of the opening games.
Group D Challenge
Uganda has been drawn in a formidable Group D alongside reigning African champions Angola, hosts Egypt and Mali.
The Silverbacks open their campaign against Angola on Thursday, February 26, at 20:00 (GMT+2) — 9:00pm Uganda time — at the Borg El Arab Arena in Egypt.
Recent history favors Angola, who have won the last three meetings between the sides, including an 82-49 victory in the 2023 World Cup African Qualifiers and an 84-62 win in 2022.
Uganda’s second fixture will be against Mali on Saturday at 9:00pm Uganda time. Mali have also dominated recent encounters, including an 85-72 win at AfroBasket in 2025.
The Silverbacks will conclude the window against hosts Egypt, who have similarly held the upper hand in recent matchups.
Despite the daunting statistics, coach Lojo’s side believes renewed energy, improved cohesion and the addition of Sibande can shift the narrative.
With momentum building in camp, Uganda will be aiming to rewrite history and take a crucial step toward World Cup qualification.
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