CAIRO (Egypt) - With five teams battling it out for the sole Zone 5 Women's AfroBasket ticket, the teams have recruited well and some exciting matches are expected.
Taking place from Monday 3 to Saturday 8 February at the Hassan Moustafa Sports Hall in Cairo's 6th of October City, the action will see some of the continent's best clash.
FIBA.basketball highlights the potential impact of some of these key players:
Raneem Elgedawy (Egypt)
The power forward, who turns 28 later this month, has been a mainstay of the Egyptian national team since her debut in 2015, when Egypt finished eighth in Cameroon, and hasn't missed an edition since.
Her experience, coupled with a smooth but dominant style in the paint for both club and country, will help the team hold their own against the opposition.
In 2023, she topped the stats for Egypt, averaging double figures in points (19.6) and rebounds (9.8), a figure she improved to 10.3 at the continental event, leading the North Africans to a ninth-place finish.
Victoria Reynolds (Kenya)
On her debut with the Kenya Lionesses in 2021, she took Zone Five by storm and was named Most Valuable Player (MVP) as she led the team to the continental championship, where they finished ninth.
Although Kenya missed out on a place at the 2023 edition as Uganda received a wild card after finishing second in the qualifiers, the American-born Kenyan has established herself as a key player on the continent.
In 2023, she made her debut in African club basketball with Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) as they swept the Zone Five qualifiers and went on to claim silver, the team's best result to date in the Women's Basketball League Africa (WBLA), then known as the AWBL. She was named in the team of the tournament alongside Lionesses centre Madina Okot, who won't be making the trip to Cairo. .
In 2024, she joined Rwanda Energy Group (REG) and led them to a sixth-place finish in the WBLA after finishing second in the Zone Five qualifiers. Her long-range shooting and ability to drive to the basket give the Lionesses a much-needed leader. She brings with her a wealth of experience, having played in the USA, Mexico and Spain.
Jamila Nansikombi (Uganda)
The 2018 basketball season's female player of the year, after leading the Dolphins to the National Basketball League title, brings a wealth of experience and is expected to rule the floor.
The guard is making a comeback to the national team, having featured in some key events from 2017 to 2019 before joining Troy Trojans in the NCAA. She represented Uganda at the 2018 FIBA 3×3 World Cup and the 2017 African Cup.
The 27-year-old is no stranger to African basketball as she was the top scorer in the 2018 FIBA Africa Women's Championship (WBLA), averaging 17.1 points per game while playing for KPA and was named in the team of the tournament.
She played two seasons at Moberly Community College before transferring to Troy University and later graduating from New Mexico University.
Ines Nezerwa (Burundi)
Making their comeback after more than a decade, Burundi are led by 31-year-old Ines Nezerwa, fresh from leading Rwanda Energy Group (REG) to a sixth-place finish in the WBLA in December 2024. She finished as the fourth best rebounder, averaging a double-double of 12.2 points and 10.7 rebounds.
Nezerwa, who played college basketball at Iowa State University from 2016 to 2020, also gained experience playing in France, Germany and Switzerland. Before heading to the US, she played for local side Berco Stars in the 2015 African Club Championship, the predecessor to the WBLA.
Her dominant performance on the boards at the 2024 WBLA has made her one of Burundi's leaders on the court.
Adut Bulgak (South Sudan)
Looking to make history for their country, the Bright Starlets have WNBA player Adut Bulgak, who brings invaluable experience from her college days at Florida State University and the American league, where she was drafted by the New York Liberty in 2016. She played for the 2017 WNBA finalists, the Chicago Sky.
The 32-year-old currently plays for Israeli side Elitzur Ramla, for whom she also featured in 2017/18, and brings a wealth of other experience to the relatively young South Sudanese squad, having also played in Spain, France and Mexico.
Other mentions:
Kenya - (Mercy Wanyama, Natalie Akinyi) Uganda - (Claire Lamunu, Jane Asinde ) Egypt - (Nadine Mohamed, Reem Moussa) South Sudan - (Delicia Washington) Burundi - (Nsanzabangwa Nelly Sandra )
FIBA