Rwanda (boys) and Egypt (girls) won the Zone 5 qualifiers for the 2026 FIBA AfroBasket U18 on Wednesday in Cairo, defeating Egypt and Kenya, respectively.
On Wednesday, July 29, in Cairo, Rwanda’s boys’ team and Egypt’s girls’ team won the Zone 5 qualifiers for the 2026 FIBA AfroBasket U18, securing their spots in the continental finals.
In the men’s tournament, Rwanda defeated the host country, Egypt, 62–58 in a hard-fought final held in Hall 2 of the Cairo Stadium Indoor.
The Rwandans built their lead over the course of the first three quarters before holding off a comeback by the Egyptians in the final quarter. Sean Mwesigwa led his team in scoring with 16 points and six assists.
Plamedie Bizimana Kayira added 10 points and seven rebounds, while Joshwa Muhirwa also scored 10 points. For Egypt, Rami Magdy scored 15 points, and Belal Sohaib recorded a double-double with 10 points and 23 rebounds.
Rwanda thus defends its title in Zone 5 and secures its spot in the 2026 FIBA U18 AfroBasket. Egypt, the runner-up, could still qualify via a wild card, according to the International Basketball Federation (FIBA).
In the girls’ competition, Egypt dominated Kenya 85-30 in the final of the Zone 5 qualifiers for the 2026 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket U18.
The Egyptian team controlled the game from start to finish to retain the regional title and secure Zone 5’s sole spot in the 2026 FIBA Women’s U18 AfroBasket, scheduled for August 5-16 in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
Yasmin Ahmed, named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player (MVP), contributed to the victory with 10 points, eight rebounds, two assists, five steals, and two blocks. Hania Hassabelnaby scored 14 points, dished out six assists, and recorded four steals.
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