Uganda’s Junior Gazelles were handed a difficult reality check in their second Group A game at the 2026 FIBA U18 Women’s AfroBasket, falling 80–44 to the hosts Côte d’Ivoire at Salle Polyvalente in Treichville.
The defeat was a sharp contrast to Uganda’s impressive opening performance, when the team announced themselves at the tournament with a convincing 84–57 victory over neighbours Kenya.
Having started the tournament with confidence and momentum, Uganda entered their second game with an opportunity to build on that winning foundation. Instead, Côte d’Ivoire exposed several areas that Uganda will need to improve quickly, particularly their shooting efficiency, ball security and ability to remain competitive when the opposition establishes control early.
The final 36-point margin tells a story of a game in which Uganda struggled to find the same rhythm that had powered them past Kenya.
Côte d’Ivoire eventually finished with 80 points from 26 successful field goals in 84 attempts, including 21 of 62 from two-point range and five of 22 from beyond the arc. They also converted 23 of 31 free throws.
Uganda, meanwhile, managed 44 points from just 16 successful field goals out of 59 attempts. Their shooting from inside the arc was 15 of 41, while they struggled considerably from three-point range, making only one of 18 attempts, a 5.6 per cent conversion rate. From the free-throw line, Uganda converted 11 of 25 attempts.
Côte d’Ivoire, on the other hand, were able to turn their opportunities into points far more consistently, while Uganda spent long stretches fighting to make shots fall.
The hosts also dominated the rebounding battle, collecting 65 rebounds compared with Uganda’s 46. Côte d’Ivoire recorded 17 offensive rebounds, giving them additional possessions and opportunities to punish Uganda whenever the first shot did not fall.
Uganda’s 44 turnovers were another major concern. Against a team capable of capitalising on mistakes, giving away that many possessions made the challenge even harder.
Despite the heavy defeat, there were positives for Uganda to take from the contest.
The first is that the team did not stop competing. Even as Côte d’Ivoire pulled away, Uganda continued to attack the basket and look for scoring opportunities. There were also contributions spread across the squad rather than the entire offensive burden resting on one player.
Among Uganda’s leading contributors, Rose Musundi finished with 17 points, while Hazel Ssengedo added seven, Olivia Amani and Melissa Taliba contributed five, other players gave four and smaller but useful scoring returns. That distribution suggests that Uganda still have multiple players capable of contributing when the offence is functioning.
Uganda also collected 46 rebounds and registered 12 assists; although the team struggled to execute consistently, there were periods when they moved the ball and competed on the glass.
The opening victory over Kenya is also important context. Uganda have already demonstrated in this tournament that they are capable of producing an assertive, high-scoring performance. The problem against Côte d’Ivoire was not a lack of ability; it was the inability to reproduce that level of execution against a stronger and more physically demanding opponent.
The biggest concern coming out of the game is Uganda’s offensive efficiency.
Making just 16 of 59 shots meant that almost three-quarters of Uganda’s field-goal attempts did not find the basket. The three-point shooting was particularly painful: one successful attempt from 18 attempts.
That kind of shooting makes it extremely difficult to stay in a game, especially against a team that is scoring efficiently at the other end.
The turnovers were arguably even more damaging. Uganda committed 44 turnovers compared with Côte d’Ivoire’s 29. Losing possession so frequently prevented Uganda from building sustained offensive pressure and repeatedly gave the hosts opportunities to attack before Uganda’s defence could properly set.
The free-throw numbers also provide another area for reflection. Uganda went 11-for-25 from the line, leaving 14 points at the stripe. In a game where every scoring opportunity matters, those missed free throws become particularly costly.
Defensively, the 80 points conceded also underline the difficulty Uganda had in containing Côte d’Ivoire’s attack. The hosts’ ability to combine scoring with superior rebounding meant Uganda were often forced to defend multiple possessions in succession.
What must change?
The answer is unlikely to be simply “shoot better”. Uganda need to create better shots, protect the ball and make their possessions count.
Reducing turnovers has to be one of the immediate priorities. Forty-four turnovers is a huge number, and against Central African Republic, Uganda cannot afford to repeatedly hand the opposition easy opportunities.
Shot selection will also matter. The 1-for-18 performance from three-point range suggests that Uganda may need to be more patient and seek higher-percentage opportunities rather than relying heavily on difficult perimeter shots.
Free throws are another low-hanging fruit. Converting more consistently at the line can turn a close contest into a competitive one.
Rebounding must remain a priority too. Although Uganda grabbed 46 boards, Côte d’Ivoire’s 65-rebound haul demonstrates how quickly second-chance possessions can tilt a game.
And perhaps most importantly, Uganda need a faster reset mentality. The Kenya win should not be forgotten, but neither should the Côte d’Ivoire defeat be allowed to define the tournament. The group stage is a sequence of games, and each one offers a different test.
Uganda’s next challenge is against the Central African Republic on Monday, 10th August 4:30 pm, EAT.