By Tumany Colley
The Captain of the Serekunda West Basketball female team, Tida Minteh – who recently travelled to Rwanda to participate in the 2023 FIBA Africa Regional Youth Camp has revealed that with what she saw, she truly believes The Gambia is very lacking on every level.
The 15-year-old point-guard prodigy travelled to Kigali to participate in an all-girls camp that took place in Kigali, Rwanda, from September 26 to 28. 45 players from 15 countries and 15 coaches were in action, with 15 female coaches attending the Kigali event.
Tida, in her conversation with LBD Sports, shared her insights, acknowledging the eye-opening experience of the camp. “It was a great experience,” she said, emphasizing the vast gap she observed between basketball in The Gambia and what she witnessed in Rwanda.
She described the facilities and resources in Kigali as being on a completely different level. Tida made the All-Star team, despite the challenges she faced. “To be honest, it was not easy. It was tough. People from other countries came with their coaches, while I went alone. I was the only player from Gambia,” she noted. The absence of her coach made the journey even more challenging, but she persevered, expressing pride in her achievements.
Tida elaborated on her experience in Rwanda, highlighting the new skills and insights she gained, particularly in drills and dribbling, as well as in her role as a point guard. Meeting coaches from the United States and various other countries provided her with valuable learning opportunities.
Tida lamented the discouragement many young basketball players face in The Gambia, emphasizing the importance of working hard and ignoring naysayers. She encouraged aspiring players, saying, “If you love the game, you have to make sacrifices and play.”
The FIBA Africa Regional Youth Camp is an elite program designed to identify and nurture the most promising young African basketball talents. It is organized in collaboration with prominent figures in African basketball, including NBA Africa Ambassador Astou N’Diaye, former Ivorian National Team player and Florida International University assistant coach Christelle Ngarsanet, former NBA player Robert Pack, FIBA instructor Cheick Sarr, and NBA legend Olumide Oyedeji. Tida Minteh’s journey to Rwanda highlights the challenges and opportunities in The Gambia’s basketball scene.
As the Gambia female league is about to start, Tida says his team, Serekunda West hopes to retain their championship to show everyone that they are the best team.
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