Thursday

Rwanda 58-69 Kenya

Rwanda’s FIBA Women’s AfroBasket Zone V Qualifiers campaign went from bad to worse on Thursday when they lost 58-69 to Kenya in their second match held at Lugogo Indoor Arena in Kampala, Uganda.

It’s been a boring campaign for Cheikh Sarr’s ladies who have seemingly been off their peak having gone two games without a win following yet another 40-54 defeat in their opening game against South Sudan on Wednesday.

Kenya won the first quarter 17-5, but Cheikh Sarr’s ladies reduced the deficit in the second quarter with 20-12 to go into half time break trailing Kenyans with 25-29.

Coming back for the second half, Rwanda still kept pushing to close the gap to just two points behind Kenya after winning the third quarter 21-19.

It was Kenya’s girls who laughed last after a convincing 21-12 win in the final quarter 21-12 to salvage the victory.

Point guard Odile Tetero scored a team-high 18 points, while Guard Diamond Richardson and power forward Martine Umuhoza 10 and 9 points respectively.

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Cheikh Sarr will be looking to make amends in their next game against Egypt on Friday 17.

Rwanda already has an automatic ticket as hosts of the FIBA Women’s Afrobasket finals that will take place in Kigali between July and August but coach Sarr wanted to use the Zone V qualifying competition as an opportunity to prepare his side in early stages ahead of the finals.