Rwanda wrapped up Window 2 of the AfroBasket 2025 Qualifiers in third position following a solid 90-63 win over Gabon in their final game.

The Rwanda Basketball National Team completed the three games of Group C’s first round of the AfroBasket 2025 Qualifiers with a victory over Gabon on Sunday, November 24.

The Dr. Cheikh Sarr-coached team faced uphill tasks in their first two games against the host team, Senegal, and a very dynamic Cameroon team. However, the win against Gabon keeps them in the race for qualification to Angola.

Rwanda started the game very strongly, intimidating Gabon with quick-fire threes and alley-oops to race to a 15-0 lead in the first three minutes.

However, the Gabonese team regained their composure and stopped Rwanda’s momentum, ending the first period trailing by 7 points, 21-28

Osborn Shema and Cadeau de Dieu Furaha revived the rhythm in the second quarter, expanding the lead, and Rwanda headed into the break with a 16-point advantage, 50-34.

After the interval, Dr. Sarr made changes to the lineup, and although the team scored the lowest of the game in the third period, 15-15, they regained their intensity in the final quarter, scoring 25 points while allowing only 14.

Osborn Shema led all scorers with 20 points, while Cadeau de Dieu Furaha and Antino Jackson Alvalezes both recorded double-doubles.

Furaha scored 14 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in his 33 minutes of play. Guard Antino contributed 13 points and 11 assists in 28 minutes on the court.

The 90-63 win over Gabon places Rwanda in third position with a 1-2 record, behind Cameroon (2-1) and group leaders Senegal (3-0). Gabon remains winless.

The AfroBasket 2025 Qualifiers’ third overall window, marking the second round of Group C, will take place in February 2025.

If Rwanda maintains their third-place position, they will qualify for the top continental basketball showcase in Angola.

Rwanda suffered a 59-70 defeat to Cameroon, marking their second consecutive loss in the AfroBasket 2025 Qualifiers. The defeat leaves them with no choice but to win their final game against Gabon to stay in the race for qualification to Angola.

The Rwanda Basketball National Team lost to Cameroon on Saturday night in the AfroBasket 2025 Qualifiers, Window 2, Group C, taking place in Dakar, Senegal.

After an opening-game loss to the host team, Senegal, Rwanda faced another setback against Cameroon. Coach Cheikh Sarr’s team fought hard in the second half but finished trailing by 11 points.

Cameroon built a 19-point lead in the first half (25-20, 22-8) and controlled the game throughout. Rwanda led for only 41 seconds during the entire 40-minute game, and that lead came in the first quarter.

Rwanda’s defense improved in the second half with a solid man-to-man and full-court press. They limited Cameroon to just 11 and 12 points in the third and fourth quarters, respectively. However, their comeback attempt fell short against a team that had a 25-point lead in the first half.

Rwanda won the second half 15-11 and 16-12 but finished the game with a 59-70 loss.

Antino Jackson Alvalezes led the game with a total of 23 points, adding 6 rebounds and 5 assists to his performance.

Vice-captain William Robeyns was the most efficient player for Rwanda, scoring 19 points on 7-of-13 shooting, including 5-of-11 from three-point range.

Robeyns also contributed 5 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2 steals, with just 1 turnover and no personal fouls in 32 minutes of play.

On the Cameroonian side, Fabien Quentin Philibert Ateba scored a team-high 17 points.

Following this back-to-back defeat, we sought to understand how Rwanda must react to fight for their pride and stay in the hunt for qualification, especially given their historical significance, as they last qualified for AfroBasket in 2011.

In the post-game press conference, Dr. Cheikh Sarr emphasized the need to put the defeats behind them and focus on the final game against the Gabon team.

“We saw that Gabon is very aggressive,” Sarr explained. “They have two players who play in Rwanda, and we know we must pay extra attention to these types of teams. They [Gabon] have their backs against the wall, just like us.”

Sarr continued, “It will be a final against Gabon. We will do our best to control their best players. They shift from a zonal defense to man-to-man, so we will prepare accordingly, repeating our systems and alternating between three-point shots and drives to the basket.”

Rwanda has struggled with long-range shooting in this campaign, and in their game against Cameroon, they made 10 of 38 three-point attempts, with only two players accounting for nine of those. Alvalezes hit 4 of 10, while Robeyns made 5 of 11.

A key question raised was whether Osborn Shema, the team’s 2.11m center, should be attempting three-pointers instead of focusing on attacking the basket and battling inside the paint. Shema attempted 10 shots from behind the arc, but only one of them fell.

The game against Gabon carries high stakes, and all eyes are on Dr. Sarr to see how he will respond strategically in this must-win situation.

Speaking on behalf of the players, Osborn Shema expressed the team’s mentality moving forward with confidence.

“Our mindset is to stay positive, regardless of who we are facing,” Shema said. “We are not giving up; we are ready to give our best and fight in every game.”

Rwanda has not qualified for AfroBasket through the qualifiers since 2011.

They participated in AfroBasket 2013 in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, through a wild card, missed out on the 2015 edition, and returned in 2017 in Tunis and Dakar via another wild card before hosting the event in 2021.

The next AfroBasket will take place in Angola, and Rwanda must finish in the top three of Group C to qualify.

These teams will face each other once more in Window 3, scheduled for February, to complete the qualifying rounds.

There are five groups in total, and the top three teams from each group will advance to join Angola, the host country, in the 16-team lineup for the tournament.

The Rwanda Basketball National Team fell to Senegal 58-81 in the opening game of Group C in the AfroBasket 2025 Qualifiers at Dakar Arena.

Dakar, November 22 – Rwanda’s poor shooting cost them in their opening game against Senegal in the AfroBasket 2025 Qualifiers, ending the game on a disappointing note.

Dr. Cheikh Sarr’s team struggled in the first three quarters, losing 17-20, 14-23, and 10-21. Despite sharing the same score (17-17) in the final quarter, they ended the game with a 23-point deficit.

Rwanda shot 21-68 from the field, including 7-39 from behind the arc. Dr. Sarr stated that their unfamiliarity with the Dakar Arena, due to practicing only at Marius Ndiaye and having just one session at the main venue, could have impacted their shooting performance.

“We didn’t have the chance to practice on the court. We only had one session here at Dakar Arena, and that’s not enough,” Dr. Sarr explained. “That’s why we ended up with such a low shooting percentage of 17.9%, compared to Senegal’s 29%.”

Rwanda also struggled to attack the rim, with center Osborn Shema frequently stepping outside the paint to take shots. He attempted 13 three-pointers but made just one.

William Robeyns led the team with 12 points, all from three-point range, while Shema scored 11 points on 4-18 shooting from the field.

Senegal’s Youssou Ndoye dominated in the paint, finishing with 14 points on 4-5 shooting from inside the arc. Guard Brancou Badio also scored 14 points for Senegal.

In a post-match interview, Coach Sarr revealed that Rwanda’s point guard, Antino Jackson, had suffered an injury, though he did not provide further details.

Rwanda will return to the court tomorrow to face Cameroon.