MOÇÂMEDES (Angola) - DR Congo are back in the running for a spot in the quarterfinals thanks to their 65-58 victory over Rwanda on Game Day 4 in Moçâmedes, in the Angolan province of Namibe.
Jordan Sakho, Christian Lutete, and Garmine Kande Kieli led the way, combining for 46 points for DR Congo.
Ntore Habimana did everything he could to help Rwanda win their first game in the 2025 AfroBasket tournament, but they will have to wait until Sunday to secure their first victory against Cape Verde.
Rwanda had beaten DR Congo twice in the 2007 and 2021 editions of the tournament, but Friday's clash belonged to DR Congo.
This win was anything but easy for DR Congo, especially because of Rwanda's determination to overcome their ongoing adversity.
TURNING POINT: Rwanda got off to a promising start in the games, scoring their first 12 points through four three-pointers. Williams Robeyns and Ntore Habimana were the main contributors to Rwanda's success, each making three three-pointers.
However, the DR Congo Leopards used a 6-0 scoring run to take a 20-14 lead. This put them ahead for the rest of the game, and they led 37-24 at halftime.
At one point in the first half, DR Congo led by as many as 15 points.
Despite appearing to be on the ropes, Rwanda fought back, tying the game at 51-51 in the third quarter.
DR Congo coach Michel Perrin called a timeout, and his team outscored Rwanda 9-6 in the final five minutes to secure their first ever victory over Rwanda.
HERO: Rwanda coach Cheikh Sarr was the first to admit that DR Congo center Jordan Sakho was a constant headache for his team's defense.
Sakho played more minutes than any other player with 35:30, and he was the heart and soul of the Central Africans. He finished with 21 points, 14 rebounds, and four crucial blocks.
STATS DON'T LIE: DR Congo's defense was impressive, limiting the lethal scorer William Robeyns to just five points in the second half; he finished with 14.
However, the Rwandans were most troubled by their inability to rebound, finishing with a 52-33 disadvantage.
BOTTOM LINE: After leading by as many as 16 points in the second quarter, it looked like DR Congo had secured the win. However, Rwanda's resilience and a 10-0 scoring run in the third quarter made the outcome uncertain.
However, when American-Congolese guard Jonathan Jordan sank a midrange jumper to give DR Congo a 64-57 lead with 38 seconds left, it was clear who the winner would be.
WHAT THEY SAID: "They continued to feed him the ball inside, and with his experience, Sakho definitely caused us some problems. Ultimately, I am happy with my players' effort. We don't have much of a chance, but we'll fight against Cape Verde on Sunday for our first win." - Rwanda head coach Cheikh Sarr.
FIBA