FIBA-Africa U18: Mali, DR Congo qualify to the quarter finals

Mali and Democratic Republic of Congo have qualified for the last eight at the ongoing FIBA Africa U18 Champioship taking plae in Kigali. Mali nailed Gabon 91-39 today at Amahoro indoor stadium, to remain the only unbeaten team in Group A. It is their fourth win so far and they go on top this group with eight points. Three Mali players Ousamane Traore, Ibrahim Doumbia and Blaise Keita dropped 11 points, while Gabon’s Nze Bah also scored the team highest 11 points, 5 rebounds. A day earlier, the West Africans won 72-68 in a hard-fought feat over Algeria. Mali joins Angola and Egypt in the quarter finals, and a fourth straight defeat for Gabon means, they join Uganda and Benin as teams with little or no chance of reaching the knockout round. Earlier on Tuesday, Ivory Coast sealed their place in the quarter-finals after they beat Gabon 77-68. Adama Camara led the Ivoirians with a team-high 22 points and nine rebounds. Meanwhiel, DR Congo is the other side to qualify for the last eight, despite losing 83-75 to Angola. DR Congo player Patrick Mwamba scored two back-to-back three pointers before he added up a lay-up on a break, to score team highest 26, while Pehilippe Kaserake added 23 for the debutants. The win comes at the right time for the Angolans who had already booked a place to the quarter finals, and will take on reigning champions Egypt this evening to determine the group winner.

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FIBA-Africa U18: Mali, DR Congo qualify to the quarter finals