Day One of the 2023 Women’s Afrobasket tournament, which began with a comfortable win for defending champions Nigeria over the Democratic Republic of Congo, saw impressive wins for Mali and Rwanda, while Cameroon just held on for a slim victory at the BK Arena in Kigali, Rwanda, on Friday.
2007 winners Mali defeated their East African counterpart Uganda 80-66 for the biggest scoreline of the day thanks to a brilliant fightback after ending the first quarter trailing. They go top of Group C with two points after the victory while Uganda sit second with one.
Djeneba N’Diaye led the Malians with 25 points, 2 rebounds, 5 assists, and a whopping seven steals while shooting 40% from the field as the team cruised to a 14-point victory margin. Fatoumata Sanou contributed 15 points and shot 6-of-12 from the field.
Jannon Jaye Otto scored a team-high 19 points for Uganda along with seven rebounds, while Brenda Ekone (12 points) and Claire Lamunu (10 points) combined for 22 points as the coach Alberto Carlos Leal-led side let a first-quarter lead slip.
In Group A, Rwanda saw off Ivory Coast 64-35, led by the 18 points and 7 assists of Destiney Promise Philoxy. The East Africans came out guns blazing in the first quarter, racing to a seven-point lead before cruising to another 16-point lead in the third quarter.
Janai Crooms Robertson helped the hosts team with 11 points, five rebounds, and three assists from the bench, while Cote d’Ivoire’s Hanna Mabelle Amani could only manage a team-high six points.
Rwanda are currently atop the group standings with two points for the win, while West African side Ivory Coast have just one point and temporarily sit second.
Finally, Cameroon and Mozambique wrapped up the day’s action with an enthralling Group B tie in which the former won 55-53.
The Cameroonian duo of Carine Silatsia (13 points and 10 rebounds) and Monique Genevieve Makani (12 points and 8 rebounds) wheeled their team to victory over three-time runner-up Mozambique.
Odelia Mafanela’s game-high 18 points were insufficient as the East Africans fell to their Central African opponent. Cameroon sits atop the group, while Mozambique is in second for the time being.
The Championship, which serves as a qualifier for the 2024 Paris Olympics, will continue with day two action on Sunday, July 29, as DR Congo takes on Egypt in Group D.
Mozambique will battle Guinea in Group B; Uganda will have an uphill task ahead of them as they will be going up against 11-time winners Senegal; and Ivory Coast and two-time winners Angola will face off in the last game of the day.
