Cape Verde’s Male National Basketball Team will be hoping to profit from the experience new Cleveland Cavaliers signing Walter “Edy” Tavares in the Africa Basketball Championship-AfroBasket-should the country earn a Wild Card qualification to this year’s Championship.
The 7 foot 3 Center was signed recently to the defending NBA Champions as the postseason gets underway on Saturday April 15. Tavares will be joined by Dahntay Jones after Cleveland waived Larry Sanders and DeAndre Liggins.
The West African island nation is in the running to be one of two receivers of the Wild Card slots at the upcoming games after failing to qualify from Zone 2. Cape-Verde won two and lost four to trail Senegal, Mali and Guinea.
Senegal and Mali have qualified automatically while Guinea is in the running as a Wild Card pick. Should Cape-Verde get the slot, the country can lean on giant Tavares in its frontcourt.
The 25 year old was drafted 42nd in the 2014 NBA Drafted by Atlanta Hawks but has spent a lot of time in the Development League with NBA affiliate sides Bakersfield Jam and Canton Charge.
Prior to his call up, he played for Raptors 905. The 2017 AfroBasket takes place in Brazaville, Congo Republic between August 19-30.
By Yaw Adjei-Mintah
@YawMintYM on Twitter
