Uganda’s national women’s basketball team, the Gazelles, made a resounding start to their 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket Zone V Qualifiers, securing a commanding 78-56 victory over Kenya at the Hassan Moustafa Sports Hall in Cairo, Egypt.
A determined Gazelles side, who were seeking redemption after their 2023 qualifier opening game loss to Kenya, set the pace early, racing to a 23-11 lead in the first quarter.
By halftime, Uganda had extended their advantage to 40-28, with Jane Asinde and Paige Robinson leading the charge.
The second half saw the Gazelles tighten their grip on the game, outscoring Kenya 17-9 in the third quarter to take a 57-37 lead.
They maintained their dominance in the final stretch, sealing a crucial opening win in their quest for a place at the 2025 Women’s AfroBasket in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.
Asinde stood out with a game-high 24 points, while Robinson and Shakira Nanvubya added 15 and 14 points, respectively.
For Kenya, Victoria Reynolds (13) and Mercy Wanyama (12) put up a fight, but Uganda’s defensive discipline and offensive efficiency proved too much to handle.
The victory gives Uganda an early advantage in the five-team round-robin tournament, where only one direct qualification spot is available.
The Gazelles will now turn their focus to hosts and defending champions Egypt, whom they face tomorrow.
Having finished second to Egypt in the previous qualifiers, Uganda will be determined to go a step further this time and secure automatic qualification rather than rely on a wildcard, as they did in 2023.
With South Sudan and Burundi also in contention, the battle for an AfroBasket slot remains intense, but the Gazelles’ emphatic start signals their intent to dominate the competition.
