Cobra Sport

Cobra Sport
NicknameCSC
ConferenceNile
LeaguesCESBA
Basketball Africa League
Founded2017
HistoryCobra Sport
2017–present
ArenaDr. Biar Sports Complex
LocationJuba, South Sudan
General managerAjak Biar Deng
Head coachManny Berberi
Championships3 South Sudanese Leagues
1 Manute Bol Cup

Cobra Sports Club, commonly known as Cobra Sport, are a South Sudanese basketball team based in Juba, South Sudan. The team was established in 2017 and plays in the Central Equatoria State Basketball Association (CESBA). Cobra has won three national championships.

Cobra played in the Basketball Africa League (BAL) during the 2022 season as the first team from South Sudan in league history.

History

The sports club was founded in 2014 by Biardit Company Limited.[1] The basketball team was established in 2017.[2]

Basketball Africa League

In 2020, Cobra played in its first continental games when it participated in the qualifiers for the 2020 BAL season.[3][4] Cobra played in Group F in Antananarivo and ended in third place, missing out on advancing to the next round.[5] However, the club advanced with a wild card before losing all next three games in the Elite 16 stage.

On 20 September 2021, Cobra signed John Jevish Omondi from Kenya as their new head coach.[2] The team played in the 2022 BAL qualification for a second straight season. In the first round, the team lost both its games but managed to advance with a wild card given by FIBA. Ahead of the second round, the team acquired Kenyan international Tom Wamukota and Rwandan international Dieudonné Ndizeye. With its strengthened roster, Cobra managed to advance to the semi-finals after defeating Ulinzi Warriors in the second round. On December 10, 2021, Cobra defeated New Star and claimed a spot in the regular season of the 2022 BAL season.[6] The team became the first-ever team from South Sudan to qualify for the BAL.

Honours

CESBA[7]
  • Champions (3): 2018, 2019, 2021–22
The NBA Legend Manute Bol Cup
  • Winners (1): 2019

In the Basketball Africa League

Season Road to BAL Main competition
W L Result Qualified W L Result
2021 2 5 Elite 16 No DNQ
2022 2 4  Silver Yes 1 4 Group Phase
2023 Withdrew DNQ
Total 4 9 1/1 1 4

Players

Main category: Cobra Sport players

Current roster

The following is the Cobra Sport 13-man roster for the 2022 BAL season group phase:[8]

Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA-sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationalities not displayed.

Cobra Sport roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Nat. Name Ht. Age
PG 00 South Sudan Dieu, Gatwang 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in) 21 – (2003-01-01)1 January 2003
PF 1 South Sudan Kiir, Mayan 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in) 26 – (1998-01-01)1 January 1998
SF 2 South Sudan Wek, Nyang 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) 28 – (1996-03-06)6 March 1996
G 5 South Sudan Wang, Padiet 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) 26 – (1998-01-13)13 January 1998
PG 10 United States Harrington, Jared (I) 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) 27 – (1997-04-23)23 April 1997
PF 11 South Sudan Lado, Alex (C) 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) 29 – (1995-05-13)13 May 1995
PF 14 South Sudan Deng, David 2.04 m (6 ft 8 in) 24 – (2000-06-25)25 June 2000
C 21 United States Hampton, Leon (I) 2.13 m (7 ft 0 in) 29 – (1995-06-13)13 June 1995
F 23 South Sudan Malual, Malual 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) 24 – (2000-07-30)30 July 2000
C 24 South Sudan Maluach, Khaman (E) 2.13 m (7 ft 0 in) 18 – (2006-09-14)14 September 2006
C 34 South Sudan Akuei, Lual 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in) 33 – (1991-01-12)12 January 1991
C Kenya Wamukota, Tom Injured (I) 2.13 m (7 ft 0 in) 31 – (1993-09-08)8 September 1993
Head coach
  • South Sudan Manny Berberi
Assistant coach(es)
  • Kenya John Omondi
  • South Sudan Majak Kou
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (I) Import player
  • (E): BAL Elevate player
  • Injured Injured
Updated: April 9, 2022

Notable players

Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA-sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationalities not displayed.

Criteria

To appear in this section a player must have either:

  • Set a club record or won an individual award while at the club
  • Played at least one official international match for their national team at any time
  • Played at least one official NBA match at any time.

References

  1. ^ "Cobra Sports (SOUTH SUDAN)". The BAL. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Cobra basketball club sign new head coach". The City Review South Sudan. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  3. ^ "Cobra at the Africa Champions Clubs ROAD TO B.A.L 2020 2019". FIBA.basketball. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
  4. ^ "Cobra basketball team in Madagascar". 28 October 2019. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
  5. ^ "Cobra suffer elimination". 4 November 2019. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
  6. ^ "Ferroviario da Beira and Cobra Sport make history by booking tickets to Basketball Africa League 2022". FIBA.basketball. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  7. ^ "Cobra Sports Club (SOUTH SUDAN)". Basketball Africa League - BAL. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  8. ^ Cobra Sport - Team Profile at FIBA.com