Uganda’s U18 boys’ basketball national team, the Junior Silverbacks bowed out of the FIBA U18 Afrobasket Championship after a 72-61 defeat to Nigeria in their final pool game, played on Tuesday in South Africa.
The loss means Uganda finishes 4th in their group, missing out on a spot in the quarter-finals of the competition.
The Junior Silverbacks struggled to match Nigeria’s dominance from the start, trailing 21-15 after the first quarter.
Nigeria extended their lead by halftime, outscoring Uganda 19-11 in the second quarter.
Despite a valiant effort from Uganda’s top performers, including Mubiru Nkugwa, who registered 17 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 6 steals, Nigeria controlled the game until the final whistle.
Brighton Galiwango added 16 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals for Uganda, but it wasn’t enough to overturn Nigeria’s solid performance.
Azeez Olaitan led the charge for Nigeria, contributing 20 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 8 steals, while Isaac Ezekiel secured a double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds.
With the loss, Uganda’s campaign at the FIBA U18 Afrobasket ends, while Nigeria advances to face Mali in the quarter-finals.
Meanwhile, Uganda’s U18 Girls’ National Basketball team, the Junior Gazelles, remain in contention for glory at the FIBA U18 Women’s Afrobasket, after storming into the quarter-finals with a thrilling 80-64 win over Nigeria on Monday.
The Junior Gazelles will now face Tunisia today at 5 PM in Pretoria, South Africa, for a chance to reach the semi-finals.
Tunisia, who finished the group stage with a perfect record to top Group A, present a formidable challenge for Uganda.
The North Africans, one of only three undefeated teams alongside defending champions Mali and Egypt, narrowly beat Rwanda 74-71 in their group stage encounter, setting up a highly anticipated clash against Uganda.
The winner of today’s quarter-final will face the victor of the match between Egypt and Nigeria in the semi-finals, set for Friday, September 13.
Egypt defeated Uganda 76-53 in the group stages, leading Group C without a loss, while Nigeria advanced as one of the best third-placed teams.
The tournament’s final will take place on Saturday, September 14, with both the winner and runner-up earning the right to represent Africa at the FIBA U19 World Cup 2025 in Switzerland.
