In a back-and-forth contest at the ongoing FIBA Women’s AfroBasket Zone V qualifiers in Cairo, Egypt narrowly defeated Uganda’s Gazelles by 3 points in a hard-fought game at Hassan Moustafa Hall.
Despite a valiant effort from Uganda, which saw standout performances from Paige Robinson (24 points, 4 rebounds) and Jane Asinde (18 points, 5 rebounds), the Gazelles fell short, with a final score of 55-52.
The match began with Egypt taking an early lead, but Uganda quickly equalized, thanks to Jane Asinde’s quick response.
However, Egypt’s clinical offense and aggressive defense in the first quarter allowed them to establish a 9-point lead, ending the period at 23-14.
Despite this early deficit, Uganda’s resilience shone through, as they managed to cut the lead down to a single point by halftime, 33-32, led by Asinde, Paige Williams, and Hope Akello.
In the second half, Egypt maintained their narrow advantage, with Uganda briefly taking a one-point lead in the fourth quarter at 53-52.
Unfortunately, a series of critical missed free throws, including two by star player Sheila Lamunu, combined with a crucial three-pointer from Egypt’s Raneem Elgedawy, dashed Uganda’s hopes.
Although Uganda finished strong with a 21-point effort in the final quarter, Egypt’s composed 19-point finish secured their 55-52 victory, improving their record to 2-0 in the tournament.
Despite the loss, Uganda’s performance offered hope, as they showed great fight throughout the game, especially in overcoming Egypt’s early dominance.
However, their 24 turnovers were costly. Uganda now shifts focus to their next challenge, a crucial game against South Sudan tomorrow at 7:00 PM EAT, where they will need to quickly regroup and capitalize on their strengths.
