Uganda teams dominate 2024 FIBA U18 African Championships Qualifiers for Zone 5 countries

 

KAMPALA (Uganda) -  Uganda teams on Friday came up on top of the 2024 FIBA U18 African Championships Qualifiers for Zone 5 countries at their own Lugogo Indoor Arena in Kampala, Uganda.

Uganda beat neighbouring Rwanda 69-66 in a tightly-contested boys game, but it was a one-sided affair in the girls encounter as they easily carried the day with a 82-52 victory over Rwanda.

For the boys, the winners led 19-17 in the first stanza but Rwanda turned the tables 17-10 in the second to take a 34-29 half time cushion. Uganda had the advantage in the third 22-16 and sealed it 18-16 in the deciding quarter.

Captain Tejan Joel and Peter Sserunji led Uganda with 15 points apiece while Gideon Ekukwan shot 14 and Edrine Ekau dropped 13.

For Rwanda, Dylan Kayijuka dropped a game-high 26 points and Jonas Nsingiza added 13.

From the moment Modesta Anyango shot the opening basket, the result in the girls’ final was never in doubt. Uganda raced away to a 24-10 first quarter edge and didn't look back.

They hanged on 17-14 in the second, pushed ahead 20-11 in the third and closed out the duel with a 21-17 fourth quarter effort. Resty Nanangwe scored 21 points and Shiphrah Kiranda managed another 18.

The Junior Silverback and Junior Gazelles did not disappoint from tip off showing lots of class. The two teams will now fly the regions' flag to the Final Round of the biennial FIBA festival in South Africa in August.

Uganda, buoyed by their fans, sailed to the finals with a resounding 104-41 and 100-56 trouncing of  the hapless Tanzanians in that order in the boys and girls category.

It is worth noting that this was the fourth century-mark posted by Uganda in the six-day show.

The Rwandese youngsters made it to the Finals with a 70-54 and 71-45 victories over Kenyan boys and girls respectively in the Semi-Finals.

Kenya bounced back to bag the bronze medal after hitting Tanzania (79-71) who had 30 points from Stanley Mitonguja in the boys. They also doing enough to repel a determined second half charge for 70-63 win in the girls.

Match Day 1

The opening game of the regional championships pitted Kenya girls against Tanzania and it was the latter who opened the scoring from a three-pointer by Upendo Isaya.

But the winners responded swiftly as Mariam Wangare answered with a baseline trey as the Kenyans went on to post their first win of the championship with a 57-47 scoreline.

Uganda costed to the first century mark of the competition as they easily rampaged to 103-48 victory against Tanzania.

Kenya boys then stepped on the floor and had no answer against Rwanda who humiliated them 81-52 in the most lopsided result of the show.

Ugandans teams then stepped on then floor and, urged on by their fans, drubbed Rwanda 78-40. The losers were held scoreless in a 22-0 last quarter spurt.

The men then closed out the day's work by also posting a century with another resounding 103-48 hammering of Tanzania.

Match Day 2

Elizabeth Laizer hit the game clinching basket as Tanzania just did enough to pip Rwanda 70-69 in the closest game of the tournament (round).

Another game saw Uganda trounce Kenya (97-47) who barely failed to notch a century in a game that saw the losing side cough out a staggering 71 turnovers which were quickly turned into 65 points by the host.

Kenya boys grounded Tanzania 95-81 as Uganda drubbed Rwanda 78-43 in the boys.

Match Day 3

Rwanda just did enough to stem Kenya's tide by winning 56-47 as Uganda bagged the second century mark of the competition registering, coincidentally a similar 103-48 victory against Tanzania in the girls.

In the boys, Rwanda subjected winless Tanzania to their third straight defeat with a well taken 85-43 triumph as Kenya went down 86-58 to Uganda in the tournament last group game.

Uganda teams headed into the Semi-Finals as the only teams to have finished the preliminary round games with a 100 per cent record. And they continued the onslaught. Rwanda provided fair challenge.

Kenya found out that skipping these meetings hasn't done them any good at all, as for Tanzania, consistent appearances seems to be paying handsome dividend.

FIBA