Uganda has officially booked its place at the 2025 FIBA AfroBasket despite an 87-67 loss to Nigeria in their latest Group B clash.
With Cape Verde, Libya, Nigeria, and Uganda all securing qualification, the focus now shifts to final standings, as the fourth-place finisher will advance as the best fourth-placed team in the AfroBasket Qualifiers.
Mandy Juruni’s side battled fiercely for three quarters but struggled in the final six minutes, allowing Nigeria to go on a 20-1 run.
Despite the setback, Uganda’s seven points in the standings ensured their qualification, regardless of their final game against Libya.
Deng John Geu and Robinson Opong led Uganda’s scoring effort with 20 and 17 points, respectively.
However, turnovers proved costly, with Uganda conceding 28 points from 19 giveaways, a statistic that coach Juruni acknowledged as a key factor in the defeat.
“The result is disappointing, but I am proud of how we played today,” Juruni said. “The final score doesn’t reflect the effort we put in. We were right in the game until the fourth quarter, where our turnovers and their physicality hurt us. However, we have achieved our main goal, which was to qualify for AfroBasket 2025.”
John Geu echoed his coach’s sentiments, highlighting Nigeria’s athleticism and ability to exploit one-on-one matchups. “We battled them for three quarters, but we broke down in the fourth. They capitalized on our mistakes. Now, we focus on finishing strong against Libya,” he said.
Libya, Uganda’s next opponent, pulled off a dramatic 82-80 victory over Cape Verde, boosting their own qualification hopes. Playing in front of a passionate home crowd, Libya erased a 12-point deficit to secure the win, with captain Mohamed Sadi delivering a crucial double-double of 14 points and 12 rebounds.
With qualification secured, Uganda’s clash against Libya will determine their final group standing. A victory could improve their positioning, but regardless of the outcome, Uganda will be part of AfroBasket 2025, marking another milestone for the team on the continental stage.
