MAPUTO (FIBA U18 Women's African Championship 2018) - Reigning Champions Mali and Angola extended their winning streaks to 2-0 as they took over Uganda and DR Congo 132-39 and 56-27 respectively.

Playing their second game of the tournament, the West-Africans have shown that they are in Maputo to retain their continental title and punch a ticket for next year's FIBA U19 Women's Basketball World Cup.

Mali is the first team to score more than 100points in a single game at the ongoing U18 Women's Championship.

Alima Dembele came up with a game-high 23points while five other Mali players including  Assetou Sissoko, Ramatoulaye Keita, Fatoumata Traore, Aminata Sangare and Aminata Traore combined for 87points.

"The coach asked us to play tough defense, and that's what we did. Defense is they key of our game but we also showed that we know how to score," Dembele told FIBA.basketball.

This comprehensive win is the result of a teamwork, as the core of this team is made up of players who represented Mali at the FIBA U17 Women's World Cup 2018 in Belarus.

The team's captain Mariam Drame explained that the new players are well integrated and they work hard for each other.

"We came as a team and we know that in such a tournament, we must play and win together. This mindset really helps a lot."

On Wednesday, Mali will face Angola in the game that will decide the Group B's leaders.

"It's simple. We need to play tough defense against them. This is the only way to win the game," Dembele pointed out.

In the second clash of the day, Angola saw off Democratic Republic of Congo in style. Passes, some clever skills, and lots of boldness, helped the Lusophones clinch an easy victory, with Alexia Dos Santos homing 14 of her side’s 56 points.

Angola only had some hard time in the last quarter, as DR Congo held up to the challenge, with a score of 11-7, but this could not change the final result of the game.

On Tuesday, Cape Verde - who are still looking for their first win in the tournament- will take on Rwanda, while Egypt and Mozambique will battle for the first place in group A.

FIBA