KweséESPN staff 6y

South African trio chosen for Jr. NBA World Championship

A trio of South Africans will be involved in the inaugural Jr. NBA World Championship which take place in the USA next month.

The tournament will comprise of 16 teams from the US, while a further 16 international ones -- representing Africa and Middle East, Asia Pacific, Canada, China, Europe, India, Mexico and South America -- have qualified to play in tournament for boys and girls, ages 13 and 14, from Aug. 7-12 in Orlando, Florida.

South Africa's Mmakgatso Annastacia Oageng has been named as a guard for the Africa and Middle East Girls team (with Zimbabwe's Melissa Chipo Mwanza and Angola's Mara Goncalves Antonio the other team members from southern Africa). Oageng will have a familiar face in Boitshoko Tau as her assistant coach while their compatriot Kgolagano Rakhudu has been named as head coach of the African and Middle East Boys team -- which features no players from southern Africa.

The eight US teams in each division -- boys and girls -- will play in one half of the draw and the international clubs in the other in a format similar to the Little League World Series, with the championship games set for the final day of competition.

The US teams qualified by winning regional competitions and represent Central, Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, Northeast, Northwest, South, Southeast and West.

The Midwest boys' team, based in Detroit, was the former AAU team of NBA All-Star Draymond Green and defeated a team featuring LeBron James Jr. during qualifying.

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