The Round-Up: For the first time in its history, Zambia will participate in the forthcoming FIBA U18 AfroBasket, which will be hosted in Pretoria, South Africa. The men's and women's teams demonstrated exceptional performance in the 2024 U18 AfroBasket Qualifiers, securing their place in this prestigious tournament.
Last Updated on
June 30, 2024
Jonathan Oriant
Staff Writer
Zambia will compete at the FIBA U18 AfroBasket for the first time in its history. Dressed in their white uniforms, the men's and women's teams will proudly represent their country in Pretoria, the 2024 FIBA U18 AfroBasket host city. Despite facing some challenges, both teams emerged victorious in the qualifiers.
The young Zambian women were the first to secure their tickets to the upcoming showpiece event, and they eagerly watched as their male counterparts followed suit. The U18 Zambia women's squad defeated Zimbabwe 64-53 in their opening match. Their second game proved more challenging, but they held their ground to clinch a narrow 47-42 victory, earning their place in the tournament in South Africa.
In the men's tournament, Zambia showcased their growth by decisively defeating Zimbabwe 78-63, securing their ticket to the continental showdown.
Simubali Cholwe was instrumental in Zambia’s success, contributing significantly with 10 points, 17 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal. Despite a strong start by Zimbabwe, who led 11-0 in the first five minutes, Zambia managed to close the gap to 11-9 by the end of the first quarter.
The game remained tightly contested, with Zimbabwe leading 18-17 at halftime. However, Zambia turned the tide in the second half, eventually taking a five-point lead into the final quarter. Although Zimbabwe made a late surge, Zambia's five crucial points in the closing minutes secured their second victory and a place in the 2024 FIBA U18 Women’s AfroBasket.
Zambia's men's team did not rest on their laurels after a 15-point win on Day 1. In their second encounter, they secured a 78-63 victory against Zimbabwe at the NASDEC Sports Complex. Despite trailing by six points at the end of the first quarter and by two points at halftime (34-32), Zambia mounted a comeback.
Blessed Wakunguma led the charge with 23 points and 5 rebounds. Franck Siame added 12 points and 12 rebounds, while Elijah Hantete contributed 15 points and 7 rebounds. Zambia’s bench was also pivotal, contributing 42 points compared to Zimbabwe's 8.
Zambia extended their lead to 10 points by the end of the third quarter (57-47) and maintained control, outscoring Zimbabwe 21-16 in the final quarter. This decisive performance secured Zambia's spot in the FIBA U18 AfroBasket with a 15-point victory margin.
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