U16 AfroBasket Women: Morocco Edge Kenya 43-38 in Classification Clash

Morocco Edge Kenya 43-38 in Classification Clash

Malak El Mourid finished with 11 points and grabbed 3 rebounds but the most efficient player for the Moroccans was Lamia Aya H’saina who finished with 9 points but grabbed 19 rebounds, provided three assists and made one block. The Kenyans however had to look up to the Ochiengs, Brian and Trixy as they both finished with a combined 19 points in the loss.

The low-scoring game had barely started when Kenya got on the points board with Nyalando making a jump shot inside the right wing with just nine seconds on the clock but another basket wasn't made until after three minutes when Samia Lofti managed to score one point of  two attempts from the charity line. The Moroccans then took the lead but Kenya turned it around and closed out the first quarter with a 10-7 scoreline.

The second quarter got underway with Morocco finishing off two quick moves, one from a jump shot and the other off a fast break to lead by one point, Kenyans found a way back into it but the North Africans did just enough to edged the quarter by a point as the halftime score stood at 17-19 with the Kenyans leading.

The second half started out like the first as Morocco capitalised on fouls, turnovers and missed shots to increase their lead in the penultimate quarter by five points (29-24). However a late fightback from the East Africans wasn't enough to salvage the game as both teams finished with 14 points apiece.

In the end, the lead in the game changed five times with Kenya  racking in more points from turnovers by registering 16 points from such moves while the Moroccans managed 14 points. The Kenyans interestingly dominated in the paint with 24-22 against the Moroccans but the biggest advantage for the North Africans was the advantage from the bench, the Moroccan bench contributed 23 points while the Kenyan bench could only muster ten points.

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[Photography Courtesy of FIBA]