CAIRO (Egypt) - Five nations, one slot! The six-day action for this year's Women's AfroBasket Qualifiers for Zone 5 countries gets underway at the Hassan Moustafa Sports Hall on Monday, 3 February with five teams doing battle for a single ticket to this year's event. Pitting hosts and defending champions Egypt against nemesis and 2021 champions Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan and the returning Burundi, the event promises scintillating rivalries as all five look to be in Abidjan later in the year for the Women's AfroBasket. The hosts, who have qualified for the continental event 14 times, are keen to continue that dominance. Kenya are looking to right their wrongs from 2023 while Uganda want to make it back-to-back, having qualified for the 2023 event as the second best team from the Zone. Egypt's Raneem Elgedawy, who led her club Al Ahly Sporting Club to silver at last December's Women's Basketball League Africa (WBLA), says the side is excited to play at home and keen to retain the title and advance. “It is bound to be a competitive event, having played most of these sides in previous editions,"she opened up to FIBA.basketball, acknowledging that the squads might be different hence the need for proper preparations.
"We are excited to win this at home but it will take more than home advantage to carry the day. We have to play together and have fun while at it," she said.
The Pharaoh's rivalry against Kenya and Uganda is expected to light up the 5200-seater multi-purpose arena located in 6th of October City, Cairo where entry has been made free.
Kenya beat Egypt for the first time in the 2021 Qualifiers' Final. The Kenyan charge is led by 2021 Most Valuable Player (MVP), on her debut, Victoria Reynolds, who maintains that despite short preparations, they were able to lock in without distractions and are ready. "The team has a good mix of experienced and new players. The balance of old and young will definitely help us on the court. For the team to qualify we will have to take it one game at a time. The goal is to reach the final so we can’t take any team for granted," she opined. Uganda Gazelles, on their part, will be captained by the experienced Jane Asinde, currently playing in China.
Despite missing 2023 top scorer Janon Otto due to injury, coach Nicholas Natuhereza has a solid squad expected to challenge for the title.
Notable inclusions are guard Paige Robinson, who participated in the team’s training camp in Germany last year; Jamila “Zama” Nansikombi, formerly of JKL Lady Dolphins and now based in the United States as well as veterans Claire Lamunu, and Melissa Akullo. Meanwhile, a new-look South Sudan, under the tutelage of Alberto Antuña, the man who led Uganda to an eighth-place finish at the 2023 Women's AfroBasket, their best-ever result, and led Senegal in the 2024 FIBA Women's Olympic Qualifiers Tournament, are tipped to be the dark horse of the competition. In 2023, they made history by securing their first international victory, defeating Rwanda by 14 points at the Qualifiers in Uganda. “I am joining a federation that has been doing things brilliantly in recent years, especially with the men’s national team. Now is the time to build the same legacy with the women's team. My vision is to create an identity, recruit the best South Sudanese players from around the world, and compete at the highest level to qualify for the 2025 Women’s AfroBasket," Antuna said at the time of his appointment.
Antuna's side boasts of players like Adut Bulgak who brings invaluable experience, the center having played for Florida State University and was drafted by the New York Liberty in the 2016 WNBA Draft. She has played professionally in Spain, France, and Israel, among other countries, making her a valuable inclusion in this campaign. Who will qualify for the continental competition? FIBA