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The Uganda Gazelles will face Kenya in their opening game of the FIBA Women’s AfroBasket Qualifiers Tuesday night at the Lugogo Indoor Stadium.
In the technical meeting held Monday evening at Onomo Hotel, there were lengthy deliberations before Uganda settled for Kenya as their team of choice for the first game.
Gazelles assistant coach Ali Mavita, who represented Uganda in the meeting, selected Rwanda as the team Uganda would want to face first.
FIBA allows the host team to select the team they want to face in the opening game. Rwanda has an automatic ticket to AfroBasket and will use this tournament to test its preparedness.
Egypt, Kenya and South Sudan were uncomfortable with Rwanda playing on the first day.
Uganda insisted, and FIBA commissioner Joy Olinga had to consult the tournament manual and confirm that Rwanda was supposed to rest on the first day.
That left Uganda with only three options; in the end, Kenya was the choice. The Lionesses are the defending champions, having beaten Egypt in the final two years ago. Only one ticket is available for Zone V, and the tournament winner will take that.
Due to financial constraints, Uganda missed the last qualifiers in Kigali, Rwanda and hoped to return to the continental showpiece. Uganda last played at AfroBasket in 2017.
The five teams will play one another once. After that stage, the top team and the second will face off in the final to decide the tournament champion.
Tuesday fixtures
South Sudan vs Egypt -5pm
Uganda vs Kenya -7:30pm
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