Friday

BoysKenya 48-73 Rwanda

Rwanda U-16 Men’s national basketball team got off to a flying start to the 2017 FIBA Zone V Championships in Mombasa, easing past hosts Kenya 73-48 in the tournament’s opening game on Friday at KPA Welfare Indoor Stadium.

Small forward Thierry Nkundwa and team captain Elias Ngoga combined for 42 points as Moise Mutokambali’s side made their intensions quite clear.

Rwanda started the game on a high winning the first quarter 18-9 but the hosts fought their way back and put on up excellent performance in the second quarter which they won 13-10 and the first half ended with Rwanda leading 28-22.

In the third quarter, Rwanda made significant improvement and stretched their lead to 50-34 before winding up their first task with a comfortable 73-48 win.

Nkundwa dropped a game high 23 points and six rebounds while center player Ngonga contributed 19 points and three rebounds.

Paul Otieno was Kenya’s top scorer with 18 points and 15 rebounds while Neville Namundera dropped 11 points and three rebounds.

"We started the game pretty well but in the second quarter they came back into the game and took it, so at half time, I had to remind the boys of our goal and it helped us control the game there after,” said Mutokambali.

The men’s category has attracted only three teams namely; Rwanda, Tanzania and hosts Kenya.

However, by press time, the tournament’s whole schedule was yet to be released.

The women category has four teams including hosts Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Egypt and they will also play one another on a round robin format and the winner will be crowned champions.

Rwanda are the defending champions in both categories and the winner in each category will qualify for 2017 FIBA Afrobasketball.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw