Uganda’s men basketball team (the Silverbacks) clinched a slot to the Afro basket championship for the second successive time after defeating rivals Rwanda on Friday.
The Silverbacks edged past neighbours Rwanda 77-64 in the semifinal clash played in Cairo, Egypt at the Zone V Afro basket qualifiers.
In a hotly contested encounter, Rwanda started the better side opening a great lead at the start but Silverbacks fought back to eventually claim the first quarter 24-15.
Rwanda went ahead to win the second quarter 17-13 and the gap narrowed to just five points with Uganda leading 37-32 heading into halftime.
However, Mande Juruni’s charges surged up after recess winning the third period 18-17 before an impressive end in the final 10 minutes scoring 22 points while Rwanda were limited to 15.
Pegues led the scores on the day with 20 points and 9 rebounds for Uganda with Stanley Ociti and Stephen Omony contributing 16 and 15 points for Uganda respectively.
Former City Oilers shooting guard Kami Kabangu lead the scores for Rwanda with 18 points.
Hosts Egypt also eased past Burundi in the other semifinal 135-71 to also qualify for Afro basket.
Uganda now books the other slot as Zone V representatives in the Fifa Afro basket championship slated for August in Congo Brazzaville.
Egypt and Uganda face off this Saturday to determine the winner of the Zone V champion. The two sides met in the finals in 2014 and Egypt won the title.