Central African Republic's Mokongo ruled out of AfroBasket 2015, Sato eyeing return

GRAVELINES (AfroBasket 2015) - Central African Republic (CAF) international Michael Mokongo will not be available to energise his country's offense at the upcoming AfroBasket 2015 as a knee injury has ruled him out of the competition.

The 29-year-old point guard, who plays for Monaco in France's Pro B, met the team in Gravelines, France, where CAF are currently holding a training camp, to announce that his recovery from the injury is taking longer than expected.

AfroBasket 2015 runs from from 19-30 August in Tunisia and serves as a qualifier for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

Mokongo was CAF's second leading scorer with 12.5 points and a team-high 5.0 assists per game at AfroBasket 2013.

The 1.80m guard will have to settle for watching his fellow Central African teammates from home.

"The results of medical examinations on Monday did not allow the medical staff to allow him to join his teammates in Gravelines for the competition," CAF Basketball Federation official Eric Damango said to Basketball News Beafrika.

He is very disappointed as he won’t be able to help his country in Tunisia. His disappointment is huge. - Damango

Mokongo is the team's latest player set to miss out, along with William Kossangue, Maxime Zianveni and James Mays.

Meanwhile, CAF's best player of the moment, Romain Sato, who last represented his country at AfroBasket 2009, is expected to join the team on Friday.

Last week, the Central Africans lost 74-68 to their Group A opponents Nigeria in a warm-up game played in Paris, France.

Over two weeks into their training camp, and following the clash against the Nigerians, CAF head coach Aubin Goporo insisted that he will no longer chase "players who do not want to play for their country."

He also acknowledged that there is still room for improvement.

So the arrival of Sato should enhance a team fighting to return to top places of Africa's basketball elite competition.

CAF, who received a wild card invitation to participate at AfroBasket 2015, will compete in Group A along hosts Tunisia, debutants Uganda and Nigeria.

FIBA