The Scottish Event Campus (SEC) Hall in Glasgow bore witness to a monumental chapter in Ugandan basketball as the women’s 3×3 team, the Gazelles, carved their names into the history books at the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

Entering the international showcase as tournament debutants, the quartet of Jane Asinde, Mellisa Akullu, Jamila Nansikombi, and Perus Nyamwenge captured the imagination of fans both in Scotland and back home with an electrifying run that culminated in a historic podium finish.

Statement Group Stage Performance

Right from the pool phase, the Gazelles showed that they weren’t here to participate but compete. They opened their campaign with a heart-pounding, nerve-wracking overtime thriller 18-17 victory against Jamaica. However, after that, they put up dominant performances until they met their match, Australia.

Uganda swept aside the Cayman Islands (21-7), Kenya (21-5), and Fiji (21-8), cementing themselves as the tournament’s dark horses.In their final pool game, they faced the eventual champions Australia and lost 21-9 despite putting up a spirited fight.

Road to the Finals

Even a stumble against Australia couldn’t derail their momentum. The Gazelles bounced back emphatically in the semifinal playoffs, overpowering a physical Tonga side 21-12. Jane Asinde led the charge with a clinical 10-point, 6-rebound masterclass.

After that, Uganda took on New Zealand, the winners of pool B, who had yet to lose a game, in the semifinals. Entering the match as clear underdogs, the Gazelles orchestrated a defensive masterclass that completely suffocated the Kiwi offense. Playing with supreme poise and tactical discipline, Uganda romped to a stunning 21-9 blowout victory.

Jane Asinde and Mellisa Akullu put on an absolute clinic, scoring 8 points apiece while dominating the glass to outrebound New Zealand 15-11. The lopsided victory not only secured a historic spot in the gold medal match but also guaranteed Uganda a historic podium finish securing at least a silver medal on their maiden appearance.

A Proud Legacy Written in Glasgow

Though the Gazelles ultimately fell to Australian 21-11 in a hard-fought gold medal showdown, taking home a prestigious silver medal felt like a golden triumph for Ugandan basketball. The names of the 4 will forever echo in Uganda basketball and commonwealth games history.