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.
