The Uganda Junior Silverbacks bounced back from two losses to defeat Morocco 85-80 on Monday in the 2023 FIBA U16 African Championship in Monastir, Tunisia.
Tejan Joel Rugette led the way for Uganda with 35 points, while Harry Tindyebwa added 20 points. Christian Aine Turyahebwa chipped in with 9 points and 10 rebounds.
The Junior Silverbacks fell behind by a single point in the first quarter, but they rallied to take a 41-35 lead at halftime.
Morocco opened a 63-61 lead in the third quarter, but Uganda responded with a 14-2 run to take control of the game.
The win was the first for Uganda in three games. They lost their first two games to Chad (91-70) and Egypt (116-48).
Head coach Michael Seger was pleased with the performance of his team.
“The guys did a really good job in the executions, and hopefully this is just another step towards helping grow the game of basketball,” he said.
“We hope to represent the country well and set new standards for basketball in Uganda, so hope the fans keep seeing us improve every game.”
The Junior Silverbacks will next face Senegal on Wednesday.
The Boys qualified for the Championships after winning the FIBA U16 Zone Five tournament in Kigali, Rwanda last month.
Courtesy Photos
