Friday, June 14 Finals Boys Rwanda 66-69 Uganda Girls Rwanda 52-82 Uganda Rwanda U18 boys’ team lost 66-69 at the hands of hosts Uganda in the final of the U18 Zone 5 qualifiers that concluded at Lugogo Indoor Stadium in Kampala, Uganda, on Friday, June 14. Despite the loss, the team, alongside Uganda, still secured automatic ticket to the U18 AfroBasket finals which will take place in Pretoria, South Africa, in August. The Junior Gazelles won the first quarter 19-17 but Rwanda bounced back and claimed the second quarter 17-10 to take a 34-29 lead at the break. Back into the second half, Uganda retained the lead after winning the third quarter 22-16 to leave the final quarter decided the champions. Both team went toe-to-toe in the final stages of the last quarter but it was the hosts who finally had an edge of the final, taking the fourth quarter 18-16 to win the regional competition. Rwandan point guard Dylan Lebson Kayijuka scored a team-high 26 points, while Jonas Nsingiza and Christian Iranzi added 13 and 8 points respectively. Meanwhile, Rwanda U18 girls’ team also lost 52-82 to Uganda in the in the earlier girls’ final match. Just like the boys' teams, the pair will also represent the zone 5 at the U18 girls' AfroBasket finals in South Africa in August.
