Thursday Girls Rwanda 42-34 Uganda It might have been expected but it did not come easy, neither doesn’t make it any less special. Rwanda national Under-18 girls’ team are the 2018 FIBA Africa Zone V champions. The youngsters claimed the title of the biennial regional tournament after a 42-34 blowout of Uganda in their final game at Uwanja wa Taifa indoor stadium in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania to finish the one-week long tournament the only unbeaten team. Hope Butera and Faustine Mwizerwa contributed a combined 28 points – 14 points each. It was a rather tight first half; Rwanda took the first quarter 11-8 but lost the second and third quarters 4-11 and 3-7 respectively. However, the ladies regrouped quickly to turn tables with an overwhelming 24-8 fourth quarter win, wrapping up the game with a 42-34 score. The girls’ category had representatives from three countries; Tanzania, Rwanda and Uganda, all playing in a two-legged round robin format. In the first game, Charles Mushumba’s side defeated their final opponents Uganda, 46-35, before thumping Tanzania 69-36, who they also effortlessly routed in return-leg 65-28 on Wednesday. By winning this title, Rwanda automatically qualified for this year’s FIBA Africa Under-18 Championship finals – set for July 29 to August 5 in Maputo, Mozambique. Meanwhile, Yves Murenzi’s boys side face Uganda in the final today while Tanzania and Sudan face-off in the third place play-off. Rwanda progressed to the final yesterday after edging out Tanzania in a 64-24 emphatic. Editorial@newtimes.co.rw
