The FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup pre-qualifiers tipped off in Kigali on Monday, August 19, with eight teams including Rwanda, competing for a spot at the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup. Rwanda finds itself in Group D, facing opponents like Great Britain, Argentina, and Lebanon. ALSO READ: D-Day: Rwanda begins quest for women’s basketball W.Cup ticket As the tournament unfolds, Times Sport takes a look at the players on Rwanda's roster. 1. Assouma Uwizeye Position: Power Forward Born: April 6, 1996 Place of Birth: Rwanda Standing at 1.82m, Uwizeye plays for APR Women’s Basketball Club, and has had a number of outings with the national team as well. During the 2023 women’s Afrobasket that took place in Kigali, she averaged 5.8 points and 6 rebounds as Rwanda secured a fourth-place finish in the continental tournament. ALSO READ: Basketball W. Cup qualifiers: What are Rwanda’s chances? Her previous performances include an average of 9.3 points and 8.8 rebounds per game during the 2022 FIBA Africa Women’s Champions Cup. 2. Bella Murekatete Position: Center Born: July 4, 2000 Place of Birth: Rwanda Murekatete recently played college basketball for the Washington State Cougars, where she was instrumental in leading the team to the Women's Basketball Invitation Tournament (WBIT) semi-finals. ALSO READ: Basketball W.Cup pre-qualifiers: Get to know the eight teams in Kigali Standing tall at 1.90m, she averaged 11.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game during the 2023/2024 season. Over five years, she amassed 1,552 points, ranking fifth all-time in Cougars' history. 3. Sabine Mugeni Position: Shooting Guard Born: August 27, 1985 Place of Birth: Rwanda At 38 years old, Mugeni hasn’t been a regular on the national team, but her inclusion in the World Cup pre-qualifiers roster is expected to add experience and leadership. She has been based in France since the early 2000s. 4. Chantal Kiyobe Position: Forward Born: January 1, 2000 Place of Birth: Rwanda Kiyobe, who stands at 1.7m, plays for the Rwanda Energy Group (REG) Women’s Basketball Club. Her basketball journey began at Lycee de Kigali during her high school studies. She has since played professional basketball for clubs in Rwanda and Kenya. 5. Charlotte Umugwaneza Position: Center Born: November 24, 1984 Place of Birth: Rwanda At 39, Umugwaneza is the most experienced player on the squad, and once again, she takes on the captain’s role. Standing at 195cm, she plays for APR Basketball Club in Rwanda. 6. Destiney Philoxy Position: Point Guard Born: October 25, 2000 Place of Birth: USA A standout performer in the 2023 Kigali Afrobasket campaign, Philoxy is a naturalised Rwandan originally from the USA. She averaged 17.4 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game at the 2023 Afrobasket, earning the sixth spot in the tournament's player stats’ list. 7. Hope Butera Position: Center Born: February 10, 2001 Place of Birth: Rwanda At just 23, Butera was one of the good performers for Rwanda at the Afrobasket 2023 tournament, averaging 6 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game. She previously played for the Idaho Vandals women's basketball team in the USA. Recently she signed with Spain’s CAB Estepona for the upcoming season. 8. Sifa Ineza Position: Guard Born: March 14, 2002 Place of Birth: Rwanda The 22-year-old guard has been based in the USA for the past few years where she played college basketball, but has always turned up for national team duty. During the 2023 Afrobasket tournament, she averaged 7.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game. 9. Odille Tetero Position: Point Guard Born: February 24, 1998 Place of Birth: Rwanda The 25-year-old is a dynamic point guard for APR Basketball Club who was named the Most Valuable Player of the 2022/2023 Rwanda Basketball League playoffs. Her ball-handling skills, speed, and physicality make her a tough player on the court. Tetero is also a medical professional specialising in anaesthesiology. 10. Rosine Micomyiza Position: Shooting Guard Born: May 9, 1995 Place of Birth: Rwanda Micomyiza, 29, currently plays for REG Basketball Club. She has previously played for Uganda Christian University's UCU Canons on a sports scholarship. She has been a member of Rwanda’s senior national team since 2013. 11. Sandra Kantore Position: Shooting Guard Born: June 25, 1993 Place of Birth: Burundi Kantore, 31, plays club basketball for APR. She is one of the best players in the local league, thanks to her skills, experience and talent. Throughout her career, she has played for clubs in Rwanda and Burundi, including APR, REG Women and Berco Stars. 12. Keisha Hampton Position: Forward Born: February 22, 1990 Place of Birth: USA Recently added to Rwanda's provisional squad by head coach Cheikh Sarr, 34-year-old currently plays for the Chicago Sky in the WNBA. Her experience includes stints with the Minnesota Lynx and clubs in Israel.
