Battle lines drawn as Zone Five women’s championship gets underway
Ten teams battle in Kigali, Rwanda from October 28 to November 4 with the finalists set to feature in the new-look Africa Women's Basketball League scheduled, tentatively, for December 11 to 19, 2023.
KIGALI (Rwanda) - In the absence of defending champions Alexandria Sporting Club of Egypt, this year’s FIBA Africa Zone Five women’s club championship is set to produce a new champion.
Ten teams battle in Kigali, Rwanda from October 28 to November 4 with the finalists set to feature in the new-look Africa Women's Basketball League scheduled, tentatively, for December 11 to 19, 2023 in Egypt.
The newly-launched women’s club competition in Africa will see the introduction of new eligibility rules.
The roster must consist of at least 8 National Players and 4 foreign players, including 2 plying their trade in any African league and 2 from outside Africa.
THE TEAMS
Hosts Armée Patriotique Rwandaise (APR) and Rwanda Energy Group (REG) will be joined, for the 8-day competition, by Tanzania champions Vijana Queens and Jeshi la Kujenga Taifa (JKT), Kenyan champions Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) and compatriots Equity Bank Hawks, Burundi’s Gladiators, Nile Legends from South Sudan and newly-crowned Ugandan champions JKL Lady Dolphins.
KPA, who finished second behind Alexandria Sporting in the 2022 zonal competition, are favourites to reclaim the title they lost to the Egyptian side last year.
Under the tutelage of Antony Ojukwu, the Kenyan champions have signed two international players Victoria Reynolds who played for Imortal Tcars in the Portugal Liga Feminina in the 2022/23 season, and American Morgan Greene.
Malian teenage sensation, who was part of the U16 African championship-winning squad in 2021 and featured for her country in last year’s U17 World Cup, Aminata Samassekou is also expected to don the blue of KPA as per coach Ojukwu.
Hosts APR have also revamped their squad for the competition, bringing in American Janai Crooms Robertson as reported by The New Times-Rwanda.
The 24-year-old was part of the Rwandan women’s national team that finished in fourth place at this year’s FIBA Women’s AfroBasket played in August. She averaged 13.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game during the tournament held in Kigali.
REG, on their part, have bolstered their squad for the competition with the inclusion of American shooting guard Jennings Chelsea and point guard Heyes Faith Anastasia.
Meanwhile, the Ugandan outfit, Dolphins, crowned champions will rely on playoffs Most Valuable Player (MVP) Hope Akello who averaged 12 points and 12 rebounds. She also took home the Defensive Player of the Season and top rebounder awards to headline the Team of the Season.
Other team's are also expected to unleash reinforced squads with eyes on Egypt. Action gets underway on Saturday, October 28.
FIBA