Today Gabon vs Algeria 11amEgypt vs Uganda 1pmBenin vs Angola 3pmRwanda vs Ivory Coast 6pmTunisia vs DR Congo 8pm

FridayMali 63-44 Ivory CoastAngola 66-56 TunisiaDR Congo 79-61 UgandaRwanda 94-64 Gabon

Hosts Rwanda kicked off their FIBA Africa U-18 Championship campaign on a high, routing Gabon 94-64 in the first Group A game in-front of a fully packed Amahoro indoor stadium on Friday evening.

Jean-Jacques Nshobozwabyosenumukiza led the charge for the home team, scoring a game high 22 points, while Cadeau de Dieu Furaha contributed 16 points and two rebounds. Kevin Karl Mba Nze top scored for Gabon with 21 points and two rebounds.

Coach Moise Mutokambali’s team started the first quarter in good form, winning it 24-19, and the youngsters never looked back as they went on to win the remaining three quarters in commanding style.

Rwanda return to action today, against Ivory Coast at 6pm, while Gabon will be up against Algeria in the day’s first game at 11am, all games at Amahoro indoor stadium.

In the tournament opening game, debutants Uganda were handed a rude welcome, losing 79-61 against DR Congo in Group B.

DRC’s Kasereka Kabenga scored the game high 24 points, while Uganda’s Mathew Ochieng finished with 20 and 15 rebounds. Henry Okoth and Gideon Kasasa contributed 9 points each for the Ugandan side.

In the second game, Silvio Sousa scored 24 points as title hopefuls Angola defeated Tunisia 66-56 points. Rassil Mohamed Adam and Jaziri Bilel of Tunisia posted 18 and 8 points respectively while the entire Tunisia team combined for five assists, 10 blocks and 29 rebounds.

In the same group, Mali, which finished third at the last edition in 2014, started positively with a win over Ivory Coast 63-44. Lassan Haidar and Moulaye Mamadou scored 14 and 11 points, while Ivorian Bah Bi Boulou Gildas had 11 points.

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