The Senegal Men’s National Basketball team are set for their 2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifier Tournament campaign in Manila.
Senegal’s basketball federation, the Federation Senegalaise de Basketball, just released the country’s 23-man pool for the tournament set to be held at the SM Mall of Asia Arena from July 5-10, 2016. Headlining the pool are 26-year-old Minnesota Timberwolves center Gorgui Dieng, and ex-PBA import for the KIA Carnival, 29-year-old Hamady N’Diaye.
Dieng, who holds the record for blocked shots in the storied history of the University of Louisville Cardinals, is currently in his second year with the NBA. After an impressive rookie year, Dieng upped the ante, having averaged 9.6 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks in 73 games played in his sophomore year. Moreover, Dieng is considered as one of the cornerstones of the young Timberwolves front line, together with Karl Anthony Towns.
Fellow big man Hamady N’Diaye is no stranger to Filipinos. N’Diaye reinforced the KIA Carnival, now the Mahindra Enforcers, in their 2014-15 Governor’s Cup campaign. He averaged an outstanding 17.6 points on 57.5 percent shooting, 15.2 rebounds, and 5.3 blocks in 11 games played during that conference. However, KIA finished with a 5-6 win/loss record, bowing out of the eighth seed in the playoffs due to quotient against Barangay Ginebra San Miguel.
Rounding out the 23-man pool for the fourth placers in the 2015 FIBA AfroBasket are Louis Adams, Gueye Serigne Bamba, Moussa Camara, Badou Diagne, Moussa Diagne, Ibrahima Fall Faye, Ibrahima Mbengue, Cheikh Tidiane Mbodj, Antoine Mendy, Papis Sadiaw Diatta Ndiaye, El Hadj Malick Ndiaye, Thierno Ibrahima Niang, Maurice Ndour, Abdoulaye Ndoye, Maleye Ndoye, Youssoupha Ndoye, Mamadou Ndiaye, Ibrahima Niang, Lamine Samb, Sitapha Savane and Ibrahima Thomas.
In order to compete in their first Olympic since 1980, Senegal will need to pass their Group A tests against Turkey and Canada. If they advance to the next stage of the OQT, Senegal will face a Group B side, either France, the Philippines, or New Zealand, in a Semifinal. The two winners will play each other with a spot in the Rio Games at stake.
Photos from FIBA Images
