- Sunday Fixture: Guinea vs. Uganda – 3:00 p.m., EAT
Uganda’s Gazelles will be looking to get the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket off to a winning start when they take on Guinea on Sunday.
It will be the third meeting between the two sides at the grand stage of African women’s basketball. The East Africans won the contest, 85-44, in 2023 in Kigali to finish seventh while Guinea edged Uganda to ninth place at the 2015 event in Yaounde, 53-52.
The Gazelles have had ample preparation for the tournament with an over two-week training camp in Egypt.
“I feel like we had [enough] time to prepare and so the team is ready and we are looking forward to tomorrow,” skipper Jane Asinde said.
The Gazelles will be riding the confidence and experience from the previous tournament with five players – Hope Akello, Asinde, Melisa Akullu, Claire Lamunu and Evelyn Nakiyingi – returning for a second consecutive tournament.
“Coming in with the same group of girls we had [in 2023] I think will help give us a stepping stone to facing the challenges ahead,” Asinde added.
Pace and Space
What has been apparent since the 2023 tournament is that the Gazelles play high-tempo transition basketball.
Even with seven players set to make their debut at AfroBasket, the composition of the team still favours that type of basketball, with guards Tracy Namugosa and Peruth Nyamwenge as well as Jamilah Nansikombi, leading the transition and centre-forward Akullu running the floor.
“We keep improving certain things that we were not better at and I feel like there is a lot of improvement, there is a lot of change – mostly in the paint, we have shooters, we have people who can take the ball aggressively,” Asinde noted.
In the half court, the Gazelles possess the patience to run sets to get outside shots for Paige Robinson or go inside to Akello and Lamunu, as well as Asinde, who also has a strong drive to the basket.
What awaits Gazelles?
In their opening game, Guinea competed well against Senegal in the first half, drawing many fouls with some transition basketball and strong inside presence, particularly from Masseny Kaba and Fatima Sacko.
Having got the benefit of watching his opponents play, Gazelles’ head coach Nick Natuhereza is aware of the threat Guinea poses despite a heavy defeat to the record champions.
“After watching them (Guinea) play against Senegal, we know we are going to deal with athleticism,” Natuhereza said ahead of the game.
“They are quick, they are big, and we need to deal with that and we have done some things to neutralise that.”