Saturday, August 24

Hungary 82-59 Great Britain

Rwanda 65-68 Senegal

Rwanda’s journey at the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2026 pre-qualifying tournament came to a shocking end following a 65-68 semifinal loss to Senegal on Saturday night, August 24 at BK Arena.

Hungary and Senegal will have to face off again in the final after playing between them in the group stages.

Cheikh Sarr’s side started the game brightly leading the game 23- 15 at the end of the first quarter. The hosts maintained their lead until Senegal’s outstanding forward Ndioma Kane levelled the game up at 42-42 early in the third quarter, in a run that proved to be a game-changer for the 2023 FIBA Women’s Afrobasket runners-up.

Senegal continued their resurgence with a 7-2 run in the third quarter and, when Yacine Diop, who finished the first half without a single point after a 0-5 shooting, sank two straight three-pointers midway through the third quarter. Senegal heaved a sigh of relief and never trailed ever since.

Playing without injured Keisha Hampton for most of the second half could have been the last straw for Rwanda, but they weren't prepared to go down without a fight.

With 13 seconds remaining and a huge support from their rowdy home crowd, Rwanda cut the deficit to just one point (66-65), but Senegal guard Cierra Dillard, who missed her previous four free-throws, converted the last two shots of the game from the charity stripe to seal a nail-biting 68-65 victory for her country.

Senegal, the only undefeated in the tournament (4-0) will take on Hungary (3-1). The pair set a rematch rendezvous, six days since their first meeting in Kigali when Senegal prevailed 63-61.