Africa-Press – Rwanda. Saturday, September 6
Group A
Rwanda 65-47 Sierra Leone
Cote d’Ivoire 64-51 Angola
Rwanda’s U16 boys bounced back with a 65-47 win over Sierra Leone in the 2025 FIBA Africa U16 Championship in Group A on Saturday, September 6 at Petit Stade.
The hosts started off the campaign with a 56-67 loss at the hands of Angola in the opening match on Tuesday, September 3 but a 17-point performance by Hugo Victor Ngabonziza saw Rwanda secure a 1-1 streak as they overcame Sierra Leone before the home crowd.
Igor Mugisha-led side won 65-47 in a high-stakes battle and the victory put them back in the running for a quarter-final spot.
Ngabonziza’s scoring was so effective that he made an impressive 5-for-5 from the free-throw line, 3-for-7 two-point field goals and 2-for-9 three-pointers.
His teammate Enzo Manzi Kabenga scored 15 points and grabbed seven rebounds and, interestingly, recorded a game-high nine steals.
Quintus Grier Sugarman also contributed 11 points, 5 rebounds and 3 steals.
From the outset, Sierra Leone asserted their dominance, leading 5-3 in the opening five minutes. However, Rwanda turned the tables and never looked back.
They built their lead point by point, increasing it from one point (10–9) at the end of the first quarter to four at half-time.
After the interval, they continued to extend their lead, establishing a 17-point advantage in the third quarter. In the final quarter, Sierra Leone went on a scoring spree, but Rwanda managed to keep their opponents at bay and secure the win.
“It was a tough game, but we followed the coach’s instructions to pass the ball and score. We had to score from their turnovers,” said Ngabonziza.
Rwanda indeed outscored Sierra Leone from turnovers, contributing 34 points to their total, while Sierra Leone only managed 14. The hosts can also thank their substitutes, who added 21 points to the winning total.
Two of Sierra Leone’s players finished with double-double performances. Benjamin Davis accounted for 10 points and a game-high 21 rebounds, while Yusuf Bangura added 11 points and 10 rebounds.
Meanwhile, Cote d’Ivoire emerged victorious against a determined Angola team, winning 64-51. This second consecutive victory sent a clear message about their intentions in the tournament.
Côte d’Ivoire started their FIBA U16 AfroBasket campaign with a win against Sierra Leone and maintained their winning streak against Angola.
With a 2–0 record, they are closer to reaching the quarterfinals but still must play Rwanda to remain undefeated in the group phase.
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