Ugandan U-18 basketball teams qualify for FIBA African championships
Jul 04, 2016
The girls won 81-68 with the boys registering an 80-58 win over their Kenya counterparts in the first matches played at the MTN Arena
Ugandan boys and girls U-18 basketball teams will represent the East African region in the FIBA Africa Zone 5 Africa champions after winning their games against Kenyan sides at Lugogo over the weekend.
The girls won 81-68 with the boys registering an 80-58 win over their Kenya counterparts in the first matches played at the MTN Arena on Saturday before following those wins with a 71-62 and 72-59 victories respectively in the decisive matches on Sunday.
Uganda and Kenya contested for the single slot to represent the East and Central African region-Zone V in the Africa U18 Championship to take place in Kigali, Rwanda (boys), on July 27 and Cairo, Egypt (girls) on August 29-September 3.
Uganda U-18 team celebrates Uganda U-18 team celebrates
Uganda and Kenya battled alone after the other countries in the zone failed to confirm their participation in the qualifiers.
On Sunday, in the boys' game Kenya's Chevai Bramwel scored a game high 24 points with Teddy Ochieng and Stefan Gichuki adding 19 and 9 points for the hard fighting Kenyans but it came shot of giving them victory against a determined Ugandan side.
Uganda's Henry Okoth, Ivan Muhwezi and Mathew Ochieng's combined 56 points gave them the edge over the two days' action.
Just like in the boys' game, in the girls match, the Ugandans were more clinical with Brenda Ayere leading the scoring with 26 points.
Evelyn Nakiyingi and Joan Namatovu added 15 and 10 points respectively to book a flight to Egypt where they will battle with 12 other teams for the African championship.