AfroBasket Women - Cameroon stun Mali on Day 2

MAPUTO (AfroBasket Women/FIBA World Championship for Women) - It's taken only two days of competition for the first major surprise of AfroBasket Women 2013 to happen as Cameroon stunned Africa's highest ranked team Mali in a 67-64 win on Saturday.

The result was a surprise for some, but for Cameroon's Ramses Lonlack - known in USA College circles as the 'African Queen' during her time with the Memphis Tigers - the victory was no more than the route on 'the way to Turkey'.

Although Cameroon are yet to play at a FIBA World Championship for Women, the win over Mali bolstered the team's morale for filling one of the two places on offer for African teams for Turkey 2014.

"We are there," Lonlack, said to FIBA.com.

"No one gave us much credit, but we have always believed we could do it, and we are getting there.

"We have beaten Mali at the Francophone Games in Nice early this month, but they brought some more good players."

Cameroon dominated most of the game, but Mali bounced back in third quarter to take the lead.

Alain Zedong's team fought back and decided they would not let the game slip away. With 1:20 remaining, Cameroon took a crucial 66-64 lead.

Mali’s Nassira Traore missed two free-throws, before Lonlack stretched the lead with yet another point from the free-throw line to seal the win.

This was Cameroon’s first victory against Mali in AfroBasket Women competition since 1984.

Jose Ruiz's team paid the price for relying too much on scoring-machine Djene Diawara who had game-high 24 points in 36 minutes.

Cameroon meanwhile enjoyed some balanced scoring with Lonlack, Priscilla Mbiandja, Amina Njonkou and Jamen Senken all scored in double digits to remains unbeaten in two games.

The Cameroonians on Sunday will take on Cape Verde in their third game of Group B action.

In the opening game of the day, Nigeria's trio of Ndidi Madu, Magdalene Ukato and Toluwani Omotola came up tougher and better to beat Kenya 74-49.

Kenya's captain Silalei Shani led the East African side in scoring with 17 points and seven rebounds, but they could not avoid their second consecutive defeat.

In the second game, Algeria's Nesrine Taibi bounced back from a one-point contribution in a 56-48 opening day defeat against Cote d'Ivoire to lead her team with 20 points as they got their first win of the tournament, a 73-66 triumph over Zimbabwe.

Eager to see their team's delayed debut, fans of Mozambique turned up in large numbers at the Maxaquene Gym to see Nazir Sale's team register the biggest margin of victory so far in the tournament with a comprehensive 105-53 win over Egypt.

Five Mozambican players scored 10 or more points, while Menatalla Awad was Egypt's only player in double digits.

Mozambique square off against Algeria in Sunday's Group A action.

Defending champions Angola cruised to a 76-51 win over Cape Verde to remain unbeaten.

In Saturday's last game, Senegal beat Cote d'Ivoire 50-35 to join Cameroon and Angola as the only other team with a perfect record.

For full and in-depth coverage of AfroBasket Women 2013, go to the official website http://maputo2013.fibaafrica.com/index.php/en.

FIBA