"Our exit from the AfroBasket 2021 is painful but we have to move on", says Rwanda's Mpoyo
KIGALI (Rwanda) - Rwanda forward Axel Mpoyo was very emotional after his country exited the 2021 Afrobasket before a capacity crowd who defy the heavy downpour to cheer their darling team.
KIGALI (Rwanda) - Rwanda forward Alex Mpoyo was very emotional after his country's exit at the FIBA AfroBasket 2021. It happened before a raucous crowd, one that defied a heavy downpour outside to enter the Kigali Arena so they could cheer on their team.
Born in Kinshasa, in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo to a Congolese father and a Rwandan mother, Mpoyo moved to the United States of America with his mother at an early age and was not introduced to basketball until age of thirteen.
"AS PAINFUL AS IT WAS LOSING AT THAT STAGE OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP WE HAVE TO MOVE ON AS THERE ARE BIGGER CHALLENGES AHEAD OF US."
Mpoyo was one of Rwanda's finest players during the tournament but they came fell to Guinea in the Qualification for the Quarter-Finals.
"I am disappointed that Guinea stopped us from progressing to the Quarter-Finals stage," the 24-year-old Mpoyo said to FIBA.basketball.
"Honestly, I personally want to thank the fans who, despite the heavy rain, came out in their numbers to support us but in basketball a winner must emerge and Guinea had it."
Alex Mpoyo
Looking ahead to his next challenges in basketball, Mpoyo plans to continue to work hard and improve his game and he pledged to make himself available for national team duties.
"Though as painful as it was losing at that stage of the championship, we have to move on as there are bigger challenges ahead of us," he said.
The draw of the FIBA Basketball World Cup Qualifiers 2021 was on Tuesday, and Rwanda were drawn against South Sudan, Cameroon and Tunisia in Group B.
"We just have to rebound and see if we can fight for one of the five slots reserved for Africa [to the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023].
"Though I will say that I got introduced to the game a little late at the age of thirteen when I was in high-school, I hope to achieve a lot in the game."
The AfroBasket was a real eye-opener in terms of its overall quality. There have been a lot of good teams at this summer's AfroBasket with no easy games.
"It shows more countries are working hard every day to improve their game," he said, "and I can categorical say that the era of underdog is gradually coming to an end in Africa basketball."
Mpoyo has joined the APR basketball club of Rwanda after playing last season for KP Trepca of Kosovo.
FIBA