Uganda women’s national basketball team, the Gazelles, took a significant step in their preparations for the 2025 FIBA Women’s Afrobasket qualifiers with a narrow 80-76 victory over US college side Westmont Warriors in a friendly game at Lugogo yesterday.
Assistant coach Nicholas Natuhereza emphasized the importance of the match, noting that it offered key experience ahead of the qualifiers set for February next year.
“The girls were a bit rusty, but I’m glad we were able to put a run together and win the game. Coming in, we did not know much about our opponents, and they also did not know much about us, but it turned out to be a good game,” Natuhereza said.
Captain Jane Asinde led the Gazelles with a double-double, scoring 27 points and grabbing 12 rebounds. Center Hope Akello contributed 13 points and 8 rebounds, while guards Lydia Babirye and Shakira Nanvubya added 12 and 10 points respectively.
Reflecting on the game, Asinde highlighted its importance in refining the team’s strategy ahead of the qualifiers.
“The scrimmage was a good one and helped us correct certain things. The game was very much needed, despite not having some of our players here, but we learned a lot. We hope to be ready for the qualifiers next year,” she stated.
The Gazelles also held a high-performance camp in Germany last month, where they played two test games against the Republic of Ireland.
Westmont Warriors head coach Christine Moore expressed gratitude for the opportunity to compete against the Gazelles, noting, “We are here to help with a sports organization (Sports Outreach) to share the love of God with people through our gift and passion for basketball. We are grateful for the Gazelles hosting us, and they gave us a great challenge.”
The Gazelles finished seventh at the 2023 Women’s Afrobasket tournament held in Kigali, Rwanda, and are determined to improve their performance in the upcoming qualifiers.
