KIGALI (Rwanda) – Game-Day 5 of the 2025 U16 AfroBasket was all about Côte d'Ivoire cementing their leadership in Group A, and it was also the day that hosts Rwanda secured their first win of the tournament.
Cote d'Ivoire emerged victorious against a determined Angola team, winning 64-51. This second consecutive victory sent a clear message about their intentions in the tournament.
Rwanda, on the other hand, have regrouped after their initial loss to Angola. They defeated Sierra Leone 65-47.
Below is a review of Saturday's events at the Petit Stade in Kigali, Rwanda.
Below is a review of Game Day 5 in Petit Stade de Kigali.
Côte d'Ivoire make it 2–0, inching closer to the quarter-finals
Côte d'Ivoire started their FIBA U16 AfroBasket campaign with a win against Sierra Leone and maintained their winning streak against Angola.
With a 2–0 record, they are closer to reaching the quarter-finals, but still have to play Rwanda in order to remain undefeated in the group phase.
The game against Angola was a make-or-break affair for both teams, but Côte d’Ivoire emerged victorious thanks to double-double performances from Minty Jean-Philippe Oka and Biza Martial Junior N’Goran.
Oka accounted for 13 points and 15 rebounds, while N'Goran finished with 10 points and 12 rebounds.
Antoine Mohamed Konan was the top scorer with 15 points and 4 rebounds, while Irené Raphael Ouédragao contributed 10 points and 9 rebounds.
José André (14 points, 6 rebounds), Edilson Pedro (13 points, 6 rebounds) and Vanilson Domingos (12 points, 6 rebounds) were Angola’s top contributors.
The West Africans took the lead early in the game with a 16–10 run after the first quarter. Though Angola fought back to make it 13-13 in the second quarter, Côte d’Ivoire had already built a comfortable lead of 29-23 by half-time.
They continued their successful run of form, this time with a 17–11 score, with Angola falling further behind with each point.
However, in the final quarter, Angola, with newfound energy, pushed Côte d’Ivoire to their limits. N’goran and his teammates held on to secure a 64-51 win with an 18-17 performance.
Speaking to FIBA.basketball after the game, N’goran said that the team’s strength lay in defence. "Our strength is our defence. We let it slip a bit after the first quarter. The coach asked us to stay calm and reminded us that we were in the lead.”
With this win, Côte d’Ivoire are closer to reaching the quarter-finals. “We still need to play Rwanda. We’ll go for the 3–0 streak and show that we’re here to win,” added N’goran.
Ngabonziza powers Rwanda to victory
A 17-point performance by Hugo Victor Ngabonziza saw Rwanda secure a 1-1 streak as they overcame Sierra Leone at the Petit Stade in Kigali.
The Igor Mugisha-led side won 65-47 in a high-stakes battle where victory would put them back in the running for a quarter-final spot.
Ngabonziza produced 17 points, scoring 5-for-5 from the free-throw line, 3-for-7 two-point field goals and 2-for-9 three-pointers.
He was supported by Manzi Enzo Kabenga, who scored 15 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Kabenga recorded a game-high nine steals to help his side to victory.
Quintus Grier Sugarman also contributed 11 points, 5 rebounds and 3 steals.
From the outset, Sierra Leone asserted their dominance, leading 5-3 in the opening five minutes. However, Rwanda turned the tables and never looked back.
They built their lead point by point, increasing it from one point (10–9) at the end of the first quarter to four at half-time.
After the interval, they continued to extend their lead, establishing a 17-point advantage in the third quarter. In the final quarter, Sierra Leone went on a scoring spree, but Rwanda managed to keep their opponents at bay and secure the win.
“It was a tough game, but we followed the coach's instructions to pass the ball and score. We had to score from their turnovers,” said Ngabonziza.
Rwanda indeed outscored Sierra Leone from turnovers, contributing 34 points to their total, while Sierra Leone only managed 14. The hosts can also thank their substitutes, who added 21 points to the winning total.
Two of Sierra Leone’s players finished with double-double performances. Benjamin Davis accounted for 10 points and a game-high 21 rebounds, while Yusuf Bangura added 11 points and 10 rebounds.
FIBA