Kigali, Rwanda: Uganda’s Women’s National Basketball Team, the Gazelles, stunned African basketball giants Senegal with a hard-fought 73–70 overtime victory on Monday night to top Group C and storm into the quarterfinals of the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket tournament.
The Gazelles, coached by Nicholas Natuhereza, displayed incredible grit and composure to secure Uganda’s most significant win in women’s basketball history.
The result, which follows their emphatic 88–51 demolition of Guinea in the opening game, propels the Gazelles into the knockout stage as group leaders with four points from two matches.
Despite falling behind 8–0 Early in the first quarter, Uganda quickly recovered after a timely timeout. A three-point dagger from Claire Lamunu saw Uganda steal the lead 17–16 at the buzzer of Q1. The Gazelles surged ahead in the second quarter, taking a 37–28 advantage into halftime behind aggressive rebounding and fast breaks.
Senegal, 11-time AfroBasket champions, clawed back in the third quarter, limiting Uganda to just eight points and turning the game on its head at 49–45 going into the final stretch.
But Uganda’s resolve held firm.
With 4.8 seconds left in regulation, Paige Robinson stepped up and drained a game-tying triple to level matters at 61–61 and force overtime. The Gazelles then executed key defensive stops and smart offensive plays in the extra period to seal a memorable three-point win.
Jane Asinde led Uganda with a dominant double-double of 18 points and 11 rebounds. Paige Robinson top-scored with 19 points, including four clutch three-pointers. Hope Akello contributed 15 points and six boards, while Lamunu added 10 points and four rebounds.
Senegal, visibly stunned, managed just two players in double digits, Cierra Dillard with 15 and Yacine Diop with 10, as they struggled to counter Uganda’s balanced offensive effort and disciplined defense.
With this result, Uganda books a direct ticket to the quarterfinals and will now await their next opponent with belief, momentum, and the backing of a continent in awe of their rise.
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