Takes slot after win over Zone 5 champs, Egypt TRIPOLI - Rwanda moved up four slots on the FIBA ranking after beating Egypt last evening. The team finally broke the jinx against the Egyptians when they silenced the Zone 5 champions 78-75 to make sure they finished their 2009Afrobasket campaign with three wins on the trot (Cameroon, Libya and Egypt).
Takes slot after win over Zone 5 champs, Egypt
TRIPOLI - Rwanda moved up four slots on the FIBA ranking after beating Egypt last evening. The team finally broke the jinx against the Egyptians when they silenced the Zone 5 champions 78-75 to make sure they finished their 2009Afrobasket campaign with three wins on the trot (Cameroon, Libya and Egypt).
The game, which was delayed for 30 minutes, saw Rwanda take a first quarter lead of 27-22 but Egypt recovered well to finish the first half in the driving seat (41-37) after a (19-12) second quarter lead.
Egypt took a slim 23-22 lead in the third quarter but Rwanda had the last giggle as they won the final quarter 16-12.
Yesterday’s result means that Rwanda, who finished 12th back in 2007 finished 9th.
In other classification games, two-time African champions Central African Republic (CAR) produced a stunning fourth quarter display to edge Mali 80-74.
CAR’s Max Martial Kougere who shot four three pointers in the final quarter finished with a game high 30points.
CAR will now play Nigeria in the 5th/6th playoff. Nigeria pulled off a 76-58 win over Senegal yesterday.
By press time, defending champions Angola were preparing for a tricky semi-final clash against Tunisia.
The other semi-final clash was a West African contest between Cameroon and Ivory Coast.
Ends