By Spy Uganda
Uganda defeated Guinea 62-54 in the last Classification Round game of the day in the FIBA U18 Women’s African Championship on Thursday at the Gymnase Couvert.
Uganda and Algeria will face on Friday in a battle for the Fifth-Place while Guinea and Tanzania will contend for the Seventh-Place.
Forward Diana Letaru 16 points, guard Zoe Atek (14), Shilah Lamunu (11) and Priscillar Nambogo (10) led Uganda to victory.While Guinea guard Nana Soumah led her team with 13 points and she was followed by M’Mah Camara’s 11 points and Mahawa Keita’s 10 points.
The first quarter was tightly contested as both teams played an open game and the first quarter finished 20-19 in favour Guinea.
Shooting guard Soumah led scoring for Guinea with nine points, as the West African rediscovered their competitive edge after, their poor displays in the group stages and the quarter-finals.
Ugandan forward Laminu’s 10 points, which included a three pointer in the second quarter and free throw’s from Zoe Atek also in the second period helped Uganda close out the quarter 32-28 up.
In the third quarter, the East Africans put together a 12 point run to break away from the Guinea team, Priscillar Nambogo’s two three pointer’s contributed to her team’s 40-28 lead with six minutes left. The Ugandan’s built another 6-0 run to close out the quarter 46-32.
Guinea looked to have turned the corner in the forth quarter as a turn around jumper from forward Nafisatou Diack, a jump shot from Kobole Keita and four points from Camara put the team within in nine (40-49).
The West African’s were competitive for the rest of the quarter, but they were chasing the game and would find it impossible to catch Uganda, who by eight points.
Meanwhile Algeria won the first classification game of the day beating Tanzania 71-35.
Point guard Yahiaoui got off to a flying start with 11 points , while Chebraoui chipped in with six points for the Algerians, who finished with a 21-8 lead.
Algerian coach Munir Meftahi, introduced his second unit, which battled to build significantly on their lead. Chebraoui’s was the stand out player, contributing five points, while Tanzania could only add seven points to their total. The North African’s had a 16 point lead (29-13) to and the quarter and first half.Algeria in the second half it was all Algeria, as they continued to pile on the points and marched to a 36 point victory.
