Rwanda’s Bella Murekatete staged impressive performances against Cape Verde , scoring 34 points to send her motherland to the quarter final round of the continental championship
The Rwanda U-18 National Women Team booked a place in the quarter final of the FIBA U18 Women’s African Championship 2018 after overcoming Cape Verde 57-32 in the final Group A match played on Tuesday at Pavilhão do Maxaquene arena in Maputo, Mozambique.
The player whose performance couldn’t go unnoticed was Rwanda’s Bella Murekatete, who with nearly 33 minutes on the court, netted 34 points to help her team win 57-32.
Cape Verde never worried their opponents, as Rwanda went off to a flying start (22-8) in the first quarter. Things went according to the team in blue, even as Cape Verde drew with them in the second quarter (11-11).
But this effort was worthless, as the final score read 57-32.
In the second game of the day, Mozambique scored their first-ever 57-45 win over Egypt as they moved on to the last eight too.
Mozambique’s Filipa Calisto topped the day’s scoreboard, hitting 21 marks. An individual exploit, that happened with the help of her accomplices and the public.
But the 2016 silver medalists were too much focused on getting back in the game to notice that Mozambique had put down their guard in the second run.
However, things heated up in the third quarter, as Egypt clinched to their opponents (11-9), and in the last one (12-9). But last minute free-throws definitely sealed Egypt’s fate in the Maxaquene Arena.
After Group A matches, Egypt tops the standings with six points while Rwanda are ranked second with five points, leaving Egypt and Cape Verde sitting in third and fourth positions with four and three points respectively.
The second phase will be played in a knockout format from the Quarter-Finals onwards (Semi-Finals and Final).The 3rd Place Game and the Final will be played on the last day of the tournament (August 19).
The Winner and the Runners-up will secure tickets for the FIBA U19 Women’s World Cup 2019.
As it standings, Rwanda will face the third-ranked team in Group B in the quarter final round which will be played on Friday. Group B is currently led by Mali and Angola who jointly have four points each while DR Congo and Uganda sit in third and fourth positions with two points each.
Group A
Tuesday 14 August 2018
Cape Verde 32-57 Rwanda
Mozambique 57-45 Egypt
