U16 AfroBasket Women: Back-to-back Victories for Cameroon to Advance to Quarters

Back-to-back Victories for Cameroon to Advance to Quarters

Debutants Cameroon are through to the FIBA U16 Women's AfroBasket quarter finals after seeing off Kenya 62-43 in a decisive Group match played on Wednesday.

Both sides came into the clash with a single win after losses to championship favourites Egypt and wins against Morocco, who placed last in the group. Victory for either side guaranteed a Last Eight place, the Central Africans punishing fellow debutants Kenya to advance.
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Diona Aline Bienvenue led the charge offensively for the Priscilla Mbiandja-coached side, dropping 15 points, two more than Shanice Mbaha. The two complemented Marie Messina's efforts, the 16-year-old power forward having dominated on both ends of the floor to score 11 and complete her double-double.

The Cameroonians dominated all fronts, punishing Kenya's 26 turnovers to score 29 points against 11 from 21. It was, however, on the paint where they showcased their superiority, outscoring the East Africans 44-18 while their bench also ruled with a 28-6 contribution.

Both sides struggled with their shooting from range, the winners going 3-for-15 against Kenya's 5-for-28, in a match where only two Kenyan players, Rihanna Mercy Nyalando (13) and Brenda Akinyi Ochieng (10), hit double digits on points.

Many, however, would have been forgiven for expecting better on three-point shooting, especially from the Central Africans, who got action going with treys from Shanice Mbaha and Anouchka Malengue. Scholastica Wileka Maburu gave Kenya the lead for the first time at 9-8.

Trixy Akinyi Ochieng added three more for 12-8, but the opponent pulled back with a 9-1 run to lead 17- 13. Mbaha got the second leg going from behind the arc, getting a 15-2 run underway that saw them lead 32-15. Nyalando's layup and 9 Lilian Nechesa Musungu's pull-up three were the only other contributions for Kenya in a 17-7 second quarter.

Kenya needed a huge second half if they were to overturn a 14-point deficit at the halftime break, but Cameroon led 40-24 halfway through the stanza. Kenya played better defense, restricting Cameroon to a 10-9 third quarter.

With a herculean task as they trailed by 15 heading to the final quarter, there was little the Kenyan side could do to break the Central Africans defensively and play catch-up.

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[Photography Courtesy of FIBA]