The Uganda U18 women’s national basketball team, the Junior Gazelles, suffered a 53-76 defeat to Egypt in their second game of the 2024 FIBA U18 Women’s Afrobasket Championship on Thursday, September 5, in South Africa.
Following an emphatic 85-36 victory over Zimbabwe in their opener, the Junior Gazelles were brimming with confidence as they faced off against powerhouses Egypt.
A win would have secured Uganda’s quarterfinal spot, but it was always expected to be a stiff challenge against one of the tournament’s favorites.
The game started with Egypt quickly taking control, leading 23-15 by the end of the first quarter.
Uganda’s major struggles, however, came in the second quarter. Egypt dominated, outscoring Uganda 23-7, leaving the Junior Gazelles trailing by 24 points at halftime.
Uganda found it hard to recover after the break, with Egypt extending their lead to as many as 33 points at one stage.
Although Uganda showed resilience in the final quarter, outscoring Egypt 15-12, the damage had already been done, and the Junior Gazelles couldn’t turn the tide in their favour.
Despite the loss, some Junior Gazelles players put up stellar performances.
Modesta Anyango led the scoring with 15 points and grabbed 7 rebounds, while Shiphrah Kiranda had a strong double-double, contributing 10 points and 10 rebounds. Mia Belinda Alaba also chipped in with 8 points.
On the Egyptian side, Power Forward Leila Elsanadily delivered an all-around performance with 15 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists.
Khadiga Abouelghait was equally impactful, posting 11 points and 12 rebounds as Egypt cruised to their second win of the tournament, maintaining their unbeaten run.
The loss leaves Uganda with one win and one defeat in Group C. With Egypt now topping the group with a perfect 2-0 record, Uganda must secure a crucial victory against Nigeria on Sunday to book an automatic quarterfinal place.
Nigeria, who defeated Zimbabwe 107-30, will be another stern test for the Junior Gazelles as they battle to progress in the competition.
The top two teams from each group, along with the two best third-placed teams, will qualify for the knockout stages.
The remaining teams will compete for classification from 9th to 12th place. The two finalists in the tournament will earn spots at the 2025 FIBA U19 World Cup, a prestigious event that Uganda is aiming to qualify for.
