IWBF Africa World Championship Qualifiers team announcement

Wheelchair Basketball South Africa (WBSA), announced the Senior National Men’s Wheelchair Basketball Team that will participate at the IWBF Africa World Championship Qualifiers 2017 scheduled to take place from November 17 to 26. The tournament will take place at the Tongaat Indoor Sports Centre City of Ethekwini, KwaZulu Natal.

The announcement took place at Mandeville Indoor Sports Centre and was preceded by a warm up match between the Sasol Green and Gold teams. The match gave players the last chance to fight for a spot in the Senior National team. The Golden team proved to be strong as they came out victorious with 56 points against the Green team who managed 44 points.

The IWBF Africa World Championship Qualifiers 2017 serves as a qualifier for the 2018 World Championships to be held in Hamburg, Germany. South Africa’s Senior National men’s team, also known as Amawheelaboys, have been drawn in Pool A alongside Morocco, Angola and Zimbabwe, with Pool B featuring Algeria, Egypt, Nigeria and Ghana.

The South African Senior National men’s team comprise:

1. Head Coach, Malcolm McLean
2. Assistant Coach, Lydia Dumond
3. Manager, Quentin Robert Frisby Robinson
4. Medical, Lethabo Thabo Molobi
5. Player 1 – Danie Smit
6. Player 2 – Mgcini Mzileni
7. Player 3 – Allen Mtatase
8. Player 4 – Samuel Jacobus van Niekerk
9. Player 5 – Lwando Mamfengu
10. Player 6 – Jack Thabang Mokgosi
11. Player 7 – Rakgetsing Simon Molete
12. Player 8 – Shane Darryl Williams
13. Player 9 – Sifiso Gama
14. Player 10 – Cecil Dumond
15. Player 11 – Simanga Amazing Mbhele
16. Referee – Arnoldd Hloniphizwe Moseya

Non-Travelling Reserves

1. Player 13 – Mongemeli Wana
2. Player 14 – Kyle Bowles
3. Player 15 – Neville Caswell

“We are excited to see the calibre of the team announced by the WBSA to represent South Africa at the IWBF Africa World Championship Qualifiers 2017. As South Africa is drawn in the pool of other strong contenders, we are confident that they will do their best. This is yet another demonstration of our commitment to people living with disabilities. As Sasol, we continue to live by our values of diversity and inclusion,” says Nozipho Mbatha, Sasol Group Brand Marketing Manager.

“The team selected is a mix of old and new players. The old players bring in experience and the new players bring in the energy to the game and that is what we are looking for. As a short team, we have to work hard on speed and our shooting as opposed to skills and form,” says Malcolm McLean, Head Coach of the Senior National Men’s Wheelchair Basketball Team.

“We will have a holding camp for six days prior to the tournament that will be intense and that’s where the fine polishing of the team comes in. As South Africa will be facing the likes of Morocco and Algeria, our nemesis – who are very tall and very fast – we have to work hard on a plan to shut them down, otherwise it’s back to the drawing board,” concluded McLean.

Sasol is a company with a proudly South African heritage making great strides in supporting the development of national sports. The support demonstrates the company’s commitment to the need for inclusion and equality in society for people with disabilities by using the sponsorship as a vehicle.