KIGALI (Rwanda) - After finishing fourth in their return to the continental stage at home in 2023, Rwanda now believe they have the squad to make to make an impact at this year's Women's AfroBasket in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.
The 12-nation African Championship will be held in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire's largest city, from July 26 to August 3.
The East Africans made their debut in 2009 and secured back-to-back ninth-place finishes. They were quite the revelation when they returned in 2023, and their 2025 squad promises to be formidable, as evidenced by their performance in the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup pre-qualifiers at home.
On Thursday, July 10, Coach Sheikh Sarr and a squad of 15 players left for Egypt, where they will play two high-level friendly matches against the hosts, who are also preparing for the same competition.
A strong foreign-based contingent complements a formidable domestic roster, giving Rwanda the ammunition to go for their first African medal. Bella Murekatete, the first Rwandan woman to play NCAA Division I basketball, will make her debut in the premier African national team competition and is expected to lead the charge. Last year, the 25-year-old led Rwanda to the semifinals of the global pre-qualification tournament and was named to the all-tournament team. This was the 6-foot-1 center's first major international tournament with Rwanda, and she finished with a tournament-high 17.7 points and 11 rebounds per game.
Her performance against Lebanon in the opening Group D game left many impressed, including NBA star Klay Thompson.
Coach Sarr also has US-based Ineza Sifa, who has experienced a meteoric rise. The guard made her debut for the senior team in 2019 during the Women's AfroBasket qualifiers, shortly after leaving her teenage years behind. She participated in the 2021 qualifiers and the 2023 Women's AfroBasket tournament. Last year, she was part of the Rwandan squad that reached the semifinals of the World Cup pre-qualifiers.
Also up for selection is American-born WNBA forward Keisha Hampton, who is making her debut in African basketball. During the World Cup pre-qualifiers, Hampton averaged 13.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.5 assists.
France-based Vanessa Prissy Camara received her first call-up to the senior team after debuting for Rwanda in the 2024 U18 Women's AfroBasket, where she averaged 12.2 points.
The Rwandan squad comes together under the leadership of point guard Destiney Philoxy. Philoxy has made a name for herself in African basketball since joining the Rwandan national team and the Rwanda Energy Group in the Women's Basketball Africa League (WBAL).
After coming close to the podium in the last edition, Philoxy told Africa Basket that Rwanda has nothing to lose but will give it their all thanks to the experience they've gained.
"Regardless of who makes the team, we will adapt to the squad we have and take advantage of this opportunity to win something for our country. We are fortunate to have players returning from the 2023 team, and with a coach like Sarr, I believe we are prepared and eager to win," she said.
FIBA