The trio of Cameroon, Mali, and Rwanda will join Nigeria as the four teams in the quarterfinal stage of the ongoing 2023 FIBA Women’s Afrobasket in Kigali.
Day 3 action kicked off on Sunday with Cameroon’s comfortable 70-50 win over Guinea to make it two wins from two and place them atop Group B with four points.
Monique Makani led the way for the Central Africans with 19 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and two steals, while Hermine Ngueko and Marina Ewodo combined for 30 points for Cameroon.
Guinea’s Fatoumata Jallow continued her impressive performance in the tournament, finishing with 17 points, while Masseny Kaba got herself a double-double with 15 points and 13 rebounds as they fell to their second straight defeat.
Despite the loss, the West Africans made it to the next round, where they will face two-time winners Angola, while Cameroon will have to wait for the winner in the game between Egypt and record winners Senegal.
Angola needed overtime to defeat hosts Rwanda 74-68 after both sides were level across four quarters. Nadir Manuel’s 21 points and 10 rebounds proved vital in helping the Central Africans pick up their first win of the tournament.
Sara Caetano had 17 points to go along with Cristina Matiquite’s 16 points and 19 rebounds as Angola finished in second place in Group A. Janai Robertson (19 points), Destiney Philoxy (15 points), and Sandra Katore (10 points) all scored double-digit points as Rwanda ended atop the group despite defeat.
Angola will play Guinea in the next round, while Rwanda will be waiting earnestly for the winner between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
In the final game of the group phase, eleven-time winners Senegal fell to 2007 champions Mali despite Cierra Dillard’s game-high 20 points.
Sika Kone finished with 18 points and 8 rebounds; Kankou Coulibaly had 13 points; and Mariam Coulibaly was just two points shy of a double-double with her 8 points and 12 rebounds as Mali wrapped up a dominant performance to lead Group C.
They will face the winners of the tie between Angola and Guinea, while Senegal will lock horns against two-time winners Egypt.
