Mozambique Bounce Back From Mali Loss, Survive Uganda Scare After Late Rally and Ice-Cold Shooting

Mozambique Bounce Back From Mali Loss, Survive Uganda Scare After Late Rally and Ice-Cold Shooting

Mozambique, who had struggled in their quarterfinal loss to Mali, especially from the three-point range, managing to drain just 4 of their 15 attempts, improved in their classification game against Uganda. The Southeast African nation registered 9 out of their 34 attempts with Ingvild Macauro and Stefanie Chiziane combining for 7 of 20 three-point attempts, with the latter finishing as her team's top performer, finishing with 16 points, three assists and three rebounds.

Hope Akello got the points underway in the first quarter for the Gazelles when she made a brilliant layup under the basket, and almost a minute later, veteran Leia Dongue cut in from the right wing and made a jump shot that tied the game at 2-2. Macauro's second three-point attempt in the quarter found the basket, giving the Mozambicans a 21-14 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter was initially one-sided at first with the Mozambicans appearing to be running away with the game, making timely offensive and defensive rebounds before a late rally from the Gazelles closed up the game to 5 points for a 17-22 second quarter result. A resurgence was on the cards in the third quarter as Uganda fought brilliantly with layups, making three-point attempts and utilising their free throws, almost achieving a 75% pass mark in free throws deliveries. The two teams couldn't be separated in the third quarter as the matchup ended tied at 18 points.

The fourth quarter witnessed a low score as both teams kept it pretty tight at the back, but also struggled to make baskets, with the quarter producing just 24 points, with Mozambique bagging 15 points against Uganda's 9 points.

Leia Dongue also finished with 14 points for Mozambique, who will be eyeing a 5th-place finish at least, and Chanaya Pinto also registered 14 points. Hope Akello's 18 points, four rebounds and one steal for the Gazelles made her the top performer for the East Africans, who will be looking to equal their 7th-placed finish from the last edition in 2023.

Paige Robinson, who finished with eight points and four rebounds, reacted to the loss and also mentioned a few things that affected the outcome they desired, with her insisting on being very proud of her teammates.

“I don't know, it was a tough loss yesterday and I think we kind of held our heads too heavy. Still a little bit down about yesterday, I think we carried that into the game today. I don't think we had enough energy. I mean we still fought really hard but our shots weren't falling again and we just couldn't get into a rhythm but I'm proud of everybody for fighting.

Two back-to-back tough losses but how do we move forward from here? We just got to pick our heads up, look into the next game, focus on that one."

“I am still super proud to be a part of this team. Big congrats to Mozambique, I think they played a great game and good luck to them moving forward. We still have some time to fight but we're just going to try to bounce back from these last two losses for sure.”

Mozambican’s Chanaya Pinto described the win as a hard one and also had kind words for the Gazelles.

“It was a hard win, I think after losing yesterday, it was hard to swallow it and pass through that but I think overall, my team came in to play and I want to congratulate the team of Uganda for the amazing game that they played today.

I also want to congratulate my teammates for the amazing game, that third quarter where they were fighting back and kind of edging it back, they got to us within five points, but then we were able to kind of keep them at bay.”

Asked to shed more light to AfricaBasket on what was happening within the team when it appeared that a comeback was imminent in the third quarter, she had this to say.

“I mean, that's basketball. Basketball is a game of runs. And I think they had their run and they got their momentum back. I think for us it was just not settling for three-point shots because that was what they wanted with that defence and I think for us it was getting composed and getting a good shot and open loops, which is what we did.”