Rwanda on verge of progressing

Afrobasket 2009-LibyaGroup DDay 1Rwanda 84-85 MoroccoCape Verde 71-52 TunisiaDay 2Rwanda 77-67 Cape VerdeMorocco 79-98 TunisiaDay 3 (Tonight)Tunisia v RwandaCape Verde v MoroccoStandingsCape Verde –3ptsRwanda –3ptsTunisia -3ptsMorocco -3pts TRIPOLI - A gripping third and fourth quarter display helped Rwanda secure their first win of the 2009 Fiba Afrobasket Championship for Men Thursday night. Rwanda, who narrowly lost out to Morocco on Day one (84-85) edged group favourites Cape Verde 77-67 to revive their chances of progressing to the next stage. The team started on the back foot toiling in the first two quarters (20-25 and 12-17) but a second half resurgence led by Mathieu Miller saw the side through. Going into half time with a ten point deficit, Kavedzija Vaceslav’s boys bounced back to end the third quarter with a three point lead (56-53) thanks to Miller’s four-three pointers. Rwanda then finished off the job in the fourth quarter. Miller scored 18 points while Robert Thomson (16) and Kenny Gasana (12) added valuable contributions. Cape Verde’s top scorer was Jeffrey Nunes Xavier with a game high 19 points. Rwanda was due to wrap up her Group D campaign last evening with a tricky test against Tunisia “Confidence in the team is sky high. We just beat the third team in Africa (Cape Verde) and there is no doubt that we can get a similar result against Tunisia,” noted Rwanda’s captain Hamza Ruhezamihigo, who is yet to game his top form which made him a fans’ darling during the 2007 Zone 5 Championship. Ends

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Rwanda on verge of progressing