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Ekone and Jannon Otto led the Gazelles with 22 points apiece.
The Uganda Gazelles stepped onto the Lugogo Indoor Stadium floor for their Fiba Women’s Zone V AfroBasket Qualifiers game with Rwanda well aware of what was to come on Sunday.
A final clash will decide whether Alberto Atuna’s charges make a return to Fiba AfroBasket or wait a bit longer.
The news came just before that game with Rwanda, after Egypt made light work of defending champions Kenya to set up a clash with the hosts.
But if that was supposed to make the Gazelles reserve some energy for the finale, it didn’t. There are never friendly games between neighbours Uganda and Rwanda.
It is always a clash of emotions and the need to prove a point. And the game turned out exactly as such
Rwanda played her best game of the qualifiers. And for a moment the entire Lugogo was stunned when the neighbours extinguished Uganda's double-digit lead lead to go up by four in the fourth quarter.
Rwanda are already qualified for the finals as hosts but are using the tournament to prepare. They had nothing to lose having fallen on three occasions and wanted to leave the stage on a high.
The start was quite straight forward as Uganda dominated and eased to a 23-09 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Rwanda got back from an 18-point deficit to make it a contest.
Marie Imanizabayo knocked down a three-pointer down the stretch in the second quarter and Rwanda cut the deficit to just eight points going into the halftime break.
Rosine Micomyiza, who has struggled from three-point range all tournament, opened the third frame with a triple to slice the lead to five points.
But there were no answers for Brenda Ekone who continues to impress with her quick transition. Cheikh Sarr’s side ensured they stayed in it and were down eight going into the fourth.
Tetero Odile and Diamond Richardson hit back to back threes to extinguish Uganda’s lead and tie the game (61-61) with eight minutes to play in the fourth frame.
Assouma Uwizeye’s hook shot gave Rwanda her first lead (63-61) with seven minutes to play but Ekone was fouled and converted two free throws to level matter (65-65) midway through the quarter.
There was no coming back for Rwanda as Uganda held on to win by eight points.
Ekone and Jannon Otto led the Gazelles with 22 points apiece, the latter adding 13 rebounds for a double-double.
Uwizeye had a double-double of 19 points and 11 rebounds while Odile got 17 points in Rwanda’s losing effort.
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