PHOTOS: Rwanda see off Uganda to seal second round berth

Sunday Group B Rwanda 92-79 Uganda Nigeria 93-53 Mali RWANDA Senior National Basketball Team have ended a four-year winless streak against Uganda to advance to the second round of the 2019 FIBA World Cup – African Qualifiers. It was a winner-take-all clash as the two sides battled for the last Group B ticket to the second round of qualifiers. Going into Sunday’s final match round in Lagos, Nigeria and Mali were already guaranteed of a spot to the next stage. Rwanda came into the game with an ‘underdog tag’ compared to a confident Ugandan side that had won the last four meetings between the two neighboring countries since 2015. Before Sunday, Rwanda has last won against Uganda in January 2013 – in FIBA Africa Zone 5 championships in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. While the Silverbacks of Uganda thought it would be a ‘business as usual’ win over Rwanda, Vladimir Bosnjak’s boys had a different agenda on their mind and proved too strong for Uganda. Paced by star shooting guard Kenneth Gasana, Rwanda saw off Uganda 92-79, and as a result, they become the only East African representative in the battle for a spot in next years FIBA Basketball World Cup in China. Gasana, arguably Rwanda’s best and most consistent player in the last decade, posted a game high 20 points while Elie Kaje and Olivier Shyaka added 16 points apiece. Robinson Odoch (18), Jordin Mayes (16) and Deng John Geu (14) combined for a total 48 points for Uganda. With the win over regional archrivals on Sunday, Rwanda progressed to the second round as Group B’s first runners-up with 9 points, three adrift of unbeaten Nigeria who topped the group. Mali advanced as second runners-up with eight points – from two wins and four defeats. After the conclusion of Window 2 round, the 12 qualified teams for the second and last round are Tunisia, Cameroun and Chad from Group A, Nigeria, Rwanda and Mali from Group B, Angola, Egypt and Morocco from Group C as well as Senegal, Central African Republic and Cote d’Ivoire from Group D. The twelve teams will be divided into two groups (E&F) of six teams each. The first legs of the Second-Round tournament will take place during the fourth window (September 10-18, 2018), with the return legs to follow during the fifth window (November 26-December 4, 2018) and the sixth window scheduled for February 20-28, 2019. The top two teams from Group E and Group F, and the best third-ranked team from either pool will secure ticket to represent Africa at the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup. The first-ever 32-team edition of FIBAs flagship competition will take place from August 31-September 15, 2019 – in China. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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PHOTOS: Rwanda see off Uganda to seal second round berth