NAIROBI (Kenya) - With two automatic slots up for grabs, action at this year's Women's Basketball League Africa (WBLA) Zone Five qualifiers got off to an eventful start with three matches scheduled on opening day. In the nine-team competition, day one favourites Rwanda Energy Group (REG) and Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) secured convincing victories, while Burundi's Gladiators won their match easily. Here's how day one on Sunday 9, November panned out:
Lioness no match for REG
The reigning Zone 5 silver medallists and favourites, Rwanda Energy Group (REG), got their campaign for a maiden Zone Five title and third consecutive appearance off to a winning start by seeing off Tanzania's Don Bosco Lionesses 87–38 in a one-sided match.
Kristina King, who returned to REG after missing last year's WBLA despite leading the team to automatic qualification, was the top scorer for the winners with 15 points in just under 21 minutes. She narrowly missed out on a double-double, a feat achieved by Hope Butera with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Back-to-back three-pointers from Chantal Kiyobe got the competition under way, and it was an all-REG show. Taudencia Oluoch and Deedee Were were the only Lionesses to score in the first quarter, which ended 26-4 to REG.
The Tanzanians adjusted their sails for the second quarter, taking better care of the ball while remaining aggressive offensively but they were still outplayed 25-15, to head to the halftime break carrying a crippling 32-point deficit. An 11-0 run for the Rwandese champions, in the opening minutes of the third left Lioness with an unsurmountable 43-point (62-19) disadvantage. They lost the half 22-12 and 14-7 as REG raced to their opening victory in style. "The game went well and we played as a team. We got a chance to get our rhythm, and work on chemistry. We lost the championship last year to Al Ahly Sporting so we are here with a target of going all the way. We are well prepared for the challenge ahead," REG forward, King told FIBA.basketball. The Rwandese champions will enjoy a rest day on Monday before getting back on the court against debutants Zetech Sparks on Tuesday as Lioness chase a first win against Burundi's Gladiators.
KPA pick first win over Fox Divas
Former Zone 5 champions KPA got their campaign off to a winning start, silencing Tanzania's hard-fighting Fox Divas 81-57 to go top of group A. In a match where five of Antony Ojukwu's charges scored in double digits, Women's AfroBasket champion Ifunanya Okoro led the tally with 18, adding six rebounds, two assists and as many blocks, finishing with a game-high rating of 23, all in just under 18 minutes. The Dockers capitalised on Fox's turnovers, scoring 27 off 21 turnovers while allowing just nine from 18 turnovers. The.Kenyan side dominated the paint 42-32. Their bench also made its contribution felt with a 32-11 contribution.
The hosts raced to an early 10-2 lead in the opening four minutes, but efforts from Mahewa Matewa and Evelyne Nakiyingi from range brought the Tanzanian side back into the game at 12-8 but the momentum was short-lived as KPA recovered to take the quarter 25-13. Okoro went on a six-point run in the opening three minutes of the second, Aminata Ly taking the score to 36-22 from behind the arc as KPA's dominance came to the fore. Fox's height disadvantage was proving their main undoing, even as they put up spirited fights on both ends of the court, trailing by 20 (51-31) at halftime. Ojukwu rested a majority of his starting squad, four minutes into the second half, with the score at 64-35. The 29-point cushion was, however, enough to keep the hosts safe even as Fox attempted a resurgence with a 12-11 final quarter. "We were just trying to get our connection together. Offensively I feel like we got a lot of good shots but there's is always room for improvement. Obviously, we have a lot of work to do defensively. We will analyse this game and see where we can get better. To face the tougher teams in the tournament, we have to get the little things right and take care of the ball better," WBLA 2024 top rebounder (then with REG), offered after the win.
FIBA