Junior Silverbacks secure historic fifth place at U16 AfroBasket

_________________

Uganda’s U16 boys’ national basketball team, the Junior Silverbacks, achieved their best-ever finish at the FIBA U16 AfroBasket tournament, taking fifth place in Kigali, Rwanda.

It was the first time Uganda had advanced to the knockout stages at the continental youth championship. Their campaign ended in the quarterfinals after a narrow 53-50 defeat to Cameroon on Friday (September 12) at the Petit Stade.

Despite the setback, the Junior Silverbacks responded strongly in the classification match, overcoming Tunisia 56-44 on Saturday (September 13) to claim fifth place overall.

Uganda's Lucas Ssenyonjo evades the attentions of a Tunisian defender during Saturday's classification game in Kigali. (Courtesy Photo/FERWABA)

Head coach Michael Seger praised his players for their efforts and progress.

“The boys tried. It was our first time qualifying for the knockout stages. I’m proud of the position,” Seger said.

“I’m glad we finished fifth. That shows improvement, and I believe the boys will deliver sometime.”

Reflecting on the quarter-final loss to Cameroon, Seger said the team’s downfall came down to rebounding and discipline.

“Playing Cameroon in the quarterfinals was a big lesson. We had lost to them in the group stages. In the quarters, we tried, but our downfall stemmed from two critical issues: rebounding and discipline,” he explained.

Cameroon controlled the boards, with one player pulling down 15 defensive rebounds, which Seger described as unacceptable.

“Imagine allowing a single player to grab 15 defensive boards; it will be a point of frustration for us,” Seger said.

Uganda also gave away too many fouls, sending Cameroon to the free-throw line 30 times.

“Gifting Cameroon 30 free-throw opportunities, even though we missed 13, proved costly. Despite our spirited effort, those lapses undermined our hopes of making history,” the coach added.

Against Tunisia, however, the Junior Silverbacks delivered a far more disciplined and dominant performance.

They led 9-8 after the first quarter and stretched the advantage to 31-19 at halftime. By the end of the third quarter, they were up 47-34, before sealing a 56-44 victory.

Standout performances came from Shyaka Evans Rugari, who scored 24 points and grabbed 5 rebounds. Shane Kwizera added 16 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists. Joshua Bwakanda contributed 9 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 steals, while Pierre Laurent Rwuhiriro anchored the paint with 10 rebounds and 6 points.

At the 2023 U16 AfroBasket in Tunisia, Uganda had managed only one win in five games with a depleted squad of just eight players, underlining the scale of this year’s progress.