SHEFFIELD (Julio Chitunda's African Message) - The belief in taking Egypt basketball to the next level was boosted last week following with the appointment of Josep "Pep" Claros as the head coach of the men's team.

Over the past few years, Egypt basketball authorities, players, coaching staff and observers insisted it was time for the North African to reclaim its glory days from the 1980s when they dominated the game on the African continent.

In 2013, coach Amr Aboul Kheir and a group determined and talented Egyptian players, confirmed why their intentions of moving forward should be taken seriously, as they emerged out of nowhere to stun then reigning-champions Tunisia (Eight-Finals) Cape-Verde (Quarter-Finals) and Senegal (Semi-Finals) on a run to the Final of AfroBasket 2013. By reaching the title game in Abidjan, they booked their place for the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup, where they went winless (0-5).

More significant than returning to the world stage for the first time in two decades, was the fact that Egypt basketball gained visibility with some young players such as Youssef Shousha and Moustafa Elmekawi displaying their potential and gaining international experience.

The retirement from the national team of Wael Badr and Sherif Genedy combined with the prospect of having Assem Marei, Omar Oraby, Anas Mahmoud and playmaker Ehab Amin - who all have US college basketball experience - and Claros' international basketball vision makes Egypt one of the frontrunners - at least in theory - for next AfroBasket 2015, a qualifier event for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.  

Bringing Spanish coach Claros - who has tasted almost all types of basketball worldwide - onboard can only be interpreted as a sign of Egypt's readiness to do battle for Africa's continental crown.

Spain 2014 was just the beginning of a new era, which continued with their qualification for the 2015 edition of FIBA Africa's flagship event after winning the FIBA Africa Zone 5 qualifier last September in Uganda.

Claros is the current head coach of the Halifax Rainmen in Canada's National Basketball League, and is expected to make his coaching debut in Africa next April.

Having talked to Egypt basketball officials and followed their commitment to the game over the course of the past few years, they always made it clear that 2015-2016 was to be a game-changer.

Egypt have dominated African youth competitions in recent years, including winning two U18 championships (2008 and 2014) and two U16 titles (2009 and 2011). 

The question now is can Claros deliver what Egypt planned to achieve in the next few years?

Judging by his recent interview with FIBA.com, his winning mentality and communication skills might be a precious asset for Egypt basketball. 

He intends to bring self-confidence to his team when saying: "No matter who you play against, it's clear that you can always compete and win if you work harder than the others."

If Claros helps Egypt win next year's AfroBasket, he will enter the annals of Egyptian basketball as the man who rescued the country's game from three decades of stagnation. As for Aboul Kheir, he should also be credited for putting Egypt's basketball back on the map.

Julio Chitunda

FIBA

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