The U18 men’s national basketball team of Rwanda faced a tough defeat in the FIBA AfroBasket 2024 quarter-finals, falling 53-67 to Cameroon on Thursday, September 12, at the University of Pretoria Gymnasium. Rwanda started the game strong, narrowly leading 16-14 at the end of the first quarter. However, Cameroon quickly responded, adjusting their tactics to win the second quarter 22-16, giving them a 36-32 lead at halftime.
In the third quarter, Rwanda showed resilience, edging out their opponents 17-15 to close the gap. Yet, Cameroon dominated the final period launching a decisive 16-4 run that overwhelmed Rwanda’s defense and secured their victory. Cameroon’s Amadou Seini was a key player, recording 15 points and an impressive 23 rebounds. His teammate Hermann Bel Daryl Bay also contributed significantly with 15 points.
For Rwanda, Dylan Kayijuka stood out with a game-high 19 points while Sean Mwesigwa added 12 points.
With this defeat, Rwanda will now compete in the classification rounds to determine their final position, aiming for a spot between 5th and 8th place.
