Opong leads Silverbacks to historic win

FIBA Africa 2021 Afrobasket Qualifiers
Day 1 Group E results
Uganda 94 Morocco 90
Egypt 91 Cape Verde 82

Robinson Opong was due a breakout performance. A shooting explosion,  something to remind everyone why the Uganda Silverbacks were so glad to get him on board three years ago.

The quiet guard had become something of a forgotten man, a sort of name you expect too see on the  roaster, but not anywhere else.

On Saturday, as Uganda battled Morocco for a first victory in Group E of the Afrobasket qualifiers, it was Opong who stood out, no, towered over everything with an immaculate and unstoppable shooting expo.

Opong dropped a game-high 29 points to lead Uganda to a historic victory over Morocco, a side ranked 34 places above them in the world. Opong, who did not attempt a single free throw in Saturday's encounter in Alexandria, finished 11-of-17 from the field, including 7-of-12 on threes.

It was the kind of shooting blitz that only Opong is capable of for Uganda, that the Silverbacks had forgotten he's capable of, that changes the conversation of what Silverbacks are capable of.

Cape Verde will certainly make provisions against Opong when they face Uganda later today in a fight for second place. A hot Opong takes Uganda's offense, which managed 77 points in the loss to Egypt, from good to very good. An offense that had Jimmy Enabu add 16 points and seven assists against Morocco, while Deng Geu and Ishmail Wainwright scored 14 points apiece.

Morocco were led by Mohammed Choua with 25 points, while Yassine Hala and Abdelkarim Ahou made 20 apiece.