Rwanda’s U16 men’s basketball team wrapped up their AfroBasket campaign in Kigali with an eighth-place finish after falling 79–55 to Angola on Saturday.
The two-week tournament, hosted in Rwanda, is heading into its final stage with the boys’ and girls’ championship games set for Sunday, September 14, 2025.Saturday marked the conclusion of classification games in the boys’ bracket. Rwanda, coached by Igor Mugisha, faced Angola after both nations were eliminated in the quarterfinals.
Rwanda Battles but Angola Dominates Second Half
The home team started strong, but a late three-pointer from Angola’s Joseandro Andre just before the end of the first quarter gave the visitors an 18–17 edge. Angola then widened the gap in the second quarter, taking it 14–10 for a 32–27 halftime lead. They extended the difference further in the third with a 26–17 run and sealed the result with a 21–11 fourth quarter.
Rwanda’s Hugo Victor Ngabonziza stood out with 14 points, matching Angola’s Miguel Salabiaku and Vanilson Domingues, while Joseandro Andre added 13.
Côte d’Ivoire Advances to the Final
Back in 2023, Rwanda had secured fifth place after beating Côte d’Ivoire. This year, however, Côte d’Ivoire reached the final by defeating Egypt 75–58 and will battle Cameroon, who edged Mali 61–56.Elsewhere, Uganda claimed fifth place with a 66–55 win over Tunisia, Morocco took ninth after edging Liberia 80–79, and Guinea finished 11th with a 66–36 victory over Sierra Leone.
In the girls’ semifinals played Saturday, Egypt booked their spot in the final by defeating Cameroon 72–50, while Côte d’Ivoire upset Mali 45–40, ending Mali’s dominance after winning every title since the tournament began in 2009.
Sunday’s Finals Schedule
Girls’ third-place game: Cameroon vs. Mali at 11:00 AM
Girls’ final: Egypt vs. Côte d’Ivoire at 4:00 PM
Boys’ third-place game: Mali vs. Egypt at 1:30 PM
Boys’ final: Côte d’Ivoire vs. Cameroon at 7:00 PM
All games are being held at Petit Stade in Remera, with free entry for fans.
Match Highlights
Enzo Kabenga challenged two Angolan defenders in the paintHugo Victor Ngabonziza led Rwanda with 14 pointsDivin Mugisha contributed seven points, including a strong drive to the basketAngola had already defeated Rwanda in the group stageElouan Kayihura prepared to launch a shot under pressure