The South Sudan Basketball Federation President confirmed the national U-18 team failed to participate at the ongoing AfroBasket zone V qualifiers in Uganda due to budget constraints.
South Sudan was meant to be among the 5 East African teams to part in the qualifiers which is being held in Kampala.
However, speaking to TK sport, SSBF president Loul Deng confirmed that they couldn’t take the team for the games due to budget difficulties.
“Very simple we are not part of the U-18 because of the budget, even though people are saying its in Uganda it should be easy, its sounds good,” Deng said.
The SSBF boss said the federation will never engage in a competition where the team is not at its best.
“You should never do anything where you don’t think you’re going to be at your best and secondly, we need to have the right people to lead the boys but because of the timetable, I decided the time of the U-18 will come,” added Deng.
The former NBA star however said, he will not allow the federation enter a competition where they don’t excel in what they do.
“There is so many things that we need to do beside always just competing that’s really why I choose not to send the team and I will not tolerate or allow anyone take leadership in the federation where we don’t excel or do well in whatever we do,” stressed Deng.
The 37-year-old former Los Angeles Laker player however assured basketball fans that the U-18 national teams will take part in other upcoming tournaments.
“Now I know that there is a lot of U-18 kids that will play for the national team, I have reached out to a few and some coaches there and I said we will be prepared for the next round another time will come, but this one we were not prepared,” said Loul.
Mr. Loul however, requested the government to start support the course of the national teams since its him who has shouldered the burden to support the teams using his own resources.
“Also I have been urging the government for support, so far I have been taking care of the men and women and I plan to do that because I believe that, that’s the biggest stage that will bring credit to everyone,” Deng stressed.
Since taking over as the federation president two years ago, Loul Deng has over seen a transformation of the men’s and women’s national basketball teams.
