MondayGirlsRwanda vs Tanzania 9amBoysTanzania vs Rwanda 11amSundayGirlsRwanda 64-32 KenyaBoysRwanda 76-51 Kenya

Rwanda U-16 boys’ team has qualified for this year’s FIBA Africa Under-16 Championships after defeating Kenya in the penultimate game of the ongoing Africa Zone V Championships that comes to a climax on Monday in Mombasa.

Rwanda beat hosts Kenya 76-51, their third win at the five-day tournament, which confirmed that Moise Mutokambali’s side will finish top of the table regardless of the outcome from their last game against Tanzania today.

Rwanda came into the tournament as the defending champions and were very well aware that only the eventual winners would represent Zone V at the forthcoming continental event slated to be hosted in August Vacoas-Phoenix, Mauritius.

Mutokambali’s side comfortably controlled the game taking the first quarter 18-13 and the second quarter 20-15.

In the third quarter, the young boys upped their game and claimed it 21-13 before finishing off the job with a 17-9 in the fourth quarter hence wrapping up the game 76-51.

Center player Elias Ngonga and also the team captain, dropped a game high 20 points and 12 rebounds while small forward Thierry Nkundwa contributed 18 points and seven rebounds.

Kenya’s Paul Otieno was their top scorer with 16 points and 18 rebounds while his teammate Salem Bundi dropped 15 points.

The boys’ category attracted three teams namely; hosts Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania that played against each other on a round robin format over two legs.

Rwanda won their first game on Friday against Kenya 73-48 before defeating Tanzania 112-27 on Saturday and they will take on Tanzania again on Monday in their final game at 11am local time.

Meanwhile, in the girls’ category, following their 71-34 loss in their first game against Egypt, Rwanda defeated hosts Kenya in their second game 64-32 and will take on Tanzania today seeking to finish as runners up to Egypt, who have already qualified to the continental championships.

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