Rwanda’s U-16 men’s national basketball team beat Equatorial Guinea in classification playoffs on Friday night to finish ninth at the 4th U-16 Africa Basketball Championship in Bamako, Mali.

Albert Buhake’s youngsters, who had defeated Guinea 83-52 in group stages on August 1, overcame their West African opponents 73-56 to claim 9th position out of 12 countries in the competition.

Rwanda’s Emile Galois Kazeneza scored a game high 20 points while Patrick Nshizirungu and Arnaud Nkusi added 15 and 12 points respectively. Guinea’s Emmanuel Nsuva was the game’s second highest scorer with 17 points.

Yesterday, the final between two-time champions Egypt and hosts Mali as well as the third-place playoff between Angola and Algeria were yet to be played. Egypt defeated defending champions Angola in the semi-finals while Mali eliminated Algeria.

Should Egypt see off Mali in the final, this will be the third title they win out of four editions of the biannual tournament. The North African nation won the inaugural and second editions in 2009 and 2011 before Angola dethroned them in 2013.

Debutants Rwanda played six games in total, winning two and losing four. The team is expected back in Kigali tonight.