26 February 2009
ANC 2009 – Zone 5 Qualifiers: Kenya fall to Rwanda women 52 – 61 in day 2
Kenya women team yesterday lost to Rwanda 52 – 61 in day 2 of the ongoing Zone 5 both men and women Africa Nations Championships Qualifiers in Kigali, Rwanda.
Kenyans edged out Burundi 68-66 in the day 1 but failed against the hosts.
Kenya’s Hilda Indasi scored a game-high 23 points while Samba Mjomba contributed 11 to the tally as Mahoro Mentika and Iyabera Komore scored 18 and 17 points for Rwanda.
Cheered on by a capacity crowd, Rwanda took a commanding 17-7 lead at the end of the first period but Kenya took charge in the next quarter before the home team led 25-22 at half time.
Kenya fought gallantly to win the third quarter 18-12. However, Rwanda bounced back with quick points from Mentika and Komore to take the last quarter 24-12 and seal the match for their second victory.
Mjomba, who had contributed most points (20) for Kenya in the match they won 68-52 against Burundi, and Indasi displayed purposeful play, but were kept at bay by the Rwandese.
According to coach Anthony Ojukwu, the duo’s partnership forward saw Kenya rake in points but their efforts fizzled out in the last quarter.
"We won the second and third quarters. Our girls failed to keep up with the pace of the Rwandese in the last session, which we lost by 12 points," said Ojukwu, who handles the men’s team.
"We were poised to win the match but laxity among our guards cost us the victory," he told on telephone from Kigali yesterday.
Kenya face Uganda in both the men’s and women’s encounters today in the event being played on a round robin basis. The men’s team needs to win the match to harbour hopes of going for the Africa Nations Championship to be staged in Libya in August.
The top two men’s sides will travel to Libya in August while women’s winner will win the sole ticket for the same tournament in Madagascar one month later.
Kenyans edged out Burundi 68-66 in the day 1 but failed against the hosts.
Kenya’s Hilda Indasi scored a game-high 23 points while Samba Mjomba contributed 11 to the tally as Mahoro Mentika and Iyabera Komore scored 18 and 17 points for Rwanda.
Cheered on by a capacity crowd, Rwanda took a commanding 17-7 lead at the end of the first period but Kenya took charge in the next quarter before the home team led 25-22 at half time.
Kenya fought gallantly to win the third quarter 18-12. However, Rwanda bounced back with quick points from Mentika and Komore to take the last quarter 24-12 and seal the match for their second victory.
Mjomba, who had contributed most points (20) for Kenya in the match they won 68-52 against Burundi, and Indasi displayed purposeful play, but were kept at bay by the Rwandese.
According to coach Anthony Ojukwu, the duo’s partnership forward saw Kenya rake in points but their efforts fizzled out in the last quarter.
"We won the second and third quarters. Our girls failed to keep up with the pace of the Rwandese in the last session, which we lost by 12 points," said Ojukwu, who handles the men’s team.
"We were poised to win the match but laxity among our guards cost us the victory," he told on telephone from Kigali yesterday.
Kenya face Uganda in both the men’s and women’s encounters today in the event being played on a round robin basis. The men’s team needs to win the match to harbour hopes of going for the Africa Nations Championship to be staged in Libya in August.
The top two men’s sides will travel to Libya in August while women’s winner will win the sole ticket for the same tournament in Madagascar one month later.
# posted by afrbk : 16:47
