Africa-Press – Rwanda. Group A
Rwanda 58-65 DR Congo
Rwanda lost their second match of the Group stage at 2025 Afrobasket in Namibe, Angola, following Friday’s 58-65 defeat to DR Congo.
The result deepened Cheikh Sarr’s men’s Afrobasket ambitions as it dented their hopes of qualifying for the quarterfinals. Rwanda remains winless in the competition, having also lost Cote d’Ivoire 78-70 in the opening group game on Wednesday.
Jordan Sakho, Christian Lutete, and Garmine Kande Kieli led the way, combining for 46 points for DR Congo.
Ntore Habimana did everything he could to help Rwanda win their first game in the tournament, but they will have to wait until Sunday for their finals group opponent Cape Verde to decide their fate.
Rwanda had beaten DR Congo twice in the 2007 and 2021 editions of the tournament, but Friday’s clash belonged to DR Congo who got their revenge in style.
Rwanda got off to a promising start in the game, scoring their first 12 points through four three-pointers. Williams Robeyns and Habimana were the main contributors to Rwanda’s success, each making three three-pointers.
However, the Leopards used a 6-0 scoring run to take a 20-14 lead. This put them ahead for the rest of the game, and they led 37-24 at halftime.
At one point in the first half, DR Congo led by as many as 15 points.
Despite appearing to be on the ropes, Rwanda fought back, tying the game at 51-51 in the third quarter.
DR Congo coach Michel Perrin called a timeout, and his team outscored Rwanda 9-6 in the final five minutes to secure their first ever victory over their neighbouring rivals.
Sarr was the first to admit that DR Congo center Jordan Sakho was a constant headache for his team’s defense.
Sakho played more minutes than any other player with 35:30, and he was the heart and soul of the Central African country. He finished with 21 points, 14 rebounds, and four crucial blocks.
DR Congo’s defense was impressive, limiting lethal scorer William Robeyns to just five points in the second half. He finished with 14.
However, the Rwandans were most troubled by their inability to rebound, finishing with a 52-33 disadvantage.
After leading by as many as 16 points in the second quarter, it looked like DR Congo had secured the win. However, Rwanda’s resilience and a 10-0 scoring run in the third quarter made the outcome uncertain.
However, when American-Congolese guard Jonathan Jordan sank a midrange jumper to give DR Congo a 64-57 lead with 38 seconds left, it was clear who the winner would be.
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