- Angola 94-89 Uganda (OT)
Uganda fell short against Angola in their opening game of the 2017 FIBA Afrobasket on Friday night in Dakar, Senegal.
Despite putting up a spirited performance throughout the game, the Silverbacks were edged by the 11-time African champions 94-89 in overtime.
Silverbacks had a strong start with shooting guard Robinson Opong adding a triple to his game-opening free-throw. Power forward Stanley Ocitti netted back-to-back treys and center Adarius Pegues laid in and Uganda had a 10-point lead with under three minutes played in the first quarter before closing out the period up 22-10.
The Ugandans picked up from where they left off in the first but it was skipper Stephen Omony and Opong who took charge as the Silverbacks had another 22 points quarter as Angola grew in the game and managed 19 in the frame.
In the third quarter, Angola grew into the game on both ends and forced Uganda into a few bad decisions with their full-court press. Pegues stood out in the mistake-laden quarter but Angola exploded for 27 points and trailed by just 7 points (56-63) heading into the fourth quarter.
Enter the fourth quarter, big man Felizardo Ambrosio got Angola’s first points on the board but Ocitti responded with a 3-ball.
Ambrosio and Carlos Morais connected from downtown in succession cutting Uganda’s lead to 2 points (69-67) before Reggie Moore gave Angola the lead with back-to-back 3-pointers.
Samuel Kalwanyi found Ocitti in rhythm at the top of the mountain and the vet drained from outside the arc before Omony added an elbow jumper to put Uganda back up 74-73 and it was game on.
Morais hit two clutch 3s to put Angola up by 5 points with 3:25 to play but Ociiti connected from 3-point range and Pegues added a lay-up to tie the game at 79 with 1:52 to play.
Omony put Uganda into the lead and Angola called for time. On return, Olimpio Cipriano missed from distance and on the other Opong connected and Uganda led 84-79 with 46 seconds to play.
Angola called for time and on return to the floor, Yanick Moreira scored from close range before Cipriano levelling the game at 84 with 15 seconds to play.
Overtime
Morais opened the scoring but it was Morreira who tormented Silverbacks’ interior on the blind side with a couple of baskets that literally handed the game over to Angola.
No time to rest
There’s no time to rest for Uganda as they return to action today at 7pm (EAT) to take on the Central Africa Republic who also lost their opener to Morocco.
Uganda needs nothing less than a win to stay in contention for a place in the quarterfinals.
Other Opening Day Results
- DRC 82-87 Mali
- Mozambique 47-75 Egypt
- Guinea 55-75 Rwanda
- CAR 66-76 Morocco
- Tunisia 68-51 Cameroon
- Senegal 83-44 South Africa
- Nigeria 77-76 Ivory Coast