The Ugandan Under-18 men’s basketball team, the Junior Silverbacks, opened their title defense with a gritty 52-40 victory over South Sudan in the FIBA U18 Zone V AfroBasket Qualifiers. Played on Friday, July 24, 2026, in Cairo, Uganda needed a strong clutch performance in order to secure the win.

Clutch Time performance

Uganda led the game by 8 points in the fourth quarter but went scoreless for about 5 minutes and South Sudan built momentum. They cut the deficit to 2 points with 4:23 left to play and given that they had the momentum, Uganda was in trouble.

However, the Junior Silverbacks turned up defensively in the final minutes and did not concede again. Their offense was also reignited and different players scored crucial baskets to seal the win for Uganda.

Defense Wins the Day

Despite being heavily outrebounded by a tall and physical South Sudanese side (55-49), Uganda relied on relentless defensive pressure to dictate the game’s tempo. The Junior Silverbacks forced South Sudan into committing a staggering 39 turnovers, which ultimately proved to be the difference-maker. They also capitalized on the other end with 31 points from turnovers.

Standout Performers

Youngster Shane Kwizera was the standout player of the game after putting up an all-around stat line, leading Uganda with 19 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 steals to record a rare triple-double. John Levi Ogiramoi scored 2 clutch baskets and finished with 12 points. Pierre Laurent Rwuhiriro anchored the paint defensively, contributing 8 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 blocks while disrupting South Sudan’s interior scoring.

South Sudan was led by Bior Mayen, who scored a game-high 15 points, and Deng Langar, who registered a double-double with 10 points and 14 rebounds in a losing effort.

What next?

Uganda will face Kenya next on Saturday 25th. A win for Uganda will put them on top of B and they will advance straight to the semifinals.