THE national women basketball team yesterday departed for Madagascar, the venue for the 2009 Fiba Africa Championship for Women. The 21-man contingent which left aboard Kenya Airways included 14 players and seven officials.
THE national women basketball team yesterday departed for Madagascar, the venue for the 2009 Fiba Africa Championship for Women.
The 21-man contingent which left aboard Kenya Airways included 14 players and seven officials.
This year, Rwanda is making a debut at the show piece which counts as Africa’s premier women basketball competition.
The first-timers are drawn in Group B alongside defending champions Mali, two-time champions Nigeria, 2001 losing finalists Tunisia, 1983 winners Angola and Guinea while Group A pits record champions Senegal with South Africa, Cameroon, Mauritius, Mozambique and hosts Madagascar.
Rwanda qualified for the championship after dethroning Kenya in the Zone 5 championships which were hosted in Kigali back in March.
Since the tournament inception back in 1966, Senegal has won nine titles; Nigeria, DR.Congo and Egypt are level with two while Angola, Mali and Madagascar have one apiece.
Mali won the 2007 edition after beating Senegal 63-56 in the final.
Group A
Senegal, Mozambique, Cameroon, South Africa,
Mauritius and Madagascar
Group B
Mali, Nigeria, Angola, Tunisia, Guinea and Rwanda
Ends