All you need to know ahead of Gazelles Afrobasket opener.

The Gazelles will be playing at their 3rd Afrobasket in Kigali, the first 2 having come in 1997 (Nairobi, Kenya) and 2015 (Yaounde, Cameroon). The team was flagged off on Tuesday and have since had a couple practices in the BK Arena, where they will be playing their games. They are in Group C together…

2bob Sports

July 27, 2023

1–2 minutes

2023, Afrobasket, basketball, fuba, Gazelles, kigali, mali, Rwanda, senegal, Women

The Gazelles will be playing at their 3rd Afrobasket in Kigali, the first 2 having come in 1997 (Nairobi, Kenya) and 2015 (Yaounde, Cameroon).

The team was flagged off on Tuesday and have since had a couple practices in the BK Arena, where they will be playing their games.

They are in Group C together with West African giants, Senegal and Mali who are looked at the favorites to make it out of the group.

Senegal is the most successful nation at the tournament, having won 11 titles including 4 in a row.

Mali is also no stranger to winning, as they were the champions in 2007 and came close last time around, finishing in 2nd place.

The Gazelles are ranked 80th in the world and 11th in Africa but they are yet to make a big name for themselves on the continent.

Having lost all their four games in 1997, the Gazelles put up a much more improved performance in 2015 when they won 2 of their 4 games against South Africa and Algeria.

Captain Flavia Oketcho is the only remaining player from the 2015 squad, with Claire Lamunu who had been the MVP in the qualifiers not traveling with the team due to other engagements.

Flavia and Claire will be expected to bring experience, calmness and composure to the mostly young squad of that will be representing the Nation.

Janon Otto will be looked at as the primary scorer for the Gazelles, as she’s very efficient both from Mid-range and beyond the arc.

Hope Akello, Jane Asinde and Mellisa Akullo will be expected to bring in more size, height and strength to the squad while Ekone, Babirye, Priscilla will infuse pace into the system.

The Coach Alberto Antuna and Captain Flavia are very optimistic about the Gazelles chances and they hope to progress to the quarter finals of the tournament.