Rwanda U18 Basketball teams return home after historic Zone 5 success (Photos)

Rwanda’s national U18 boys’ and girls’ basketball teams returned home after an impressive campaign at the 2026 FIBA U18 AfroBasket Zone 5 Championships in Cairo, Egypt, where the boys won the regional title and qualified for the continental finals while the girls claimed bronze.

Following their regional title, Rwanda booked a place at the 2026 FIBA U18 AfroBasket, which will be held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, from August 5 to 16.

Speaking upon the team’s arrival, head coach Niyomugabo Munyandamutsa Sunny praised his players’ unity and self-belief, saying they were instrumental in securing the regional title.

“The tournament was much more competitive than previous editions because six countries participated. The biggest strength of our team was working together and building confidence among the players,” he added.

Rwanda’s boys enjoyed an outstanding campaign throughout the tournament, defeating regional rivals, including Uganda, before edging hosts Egypt 62-58 in the final to claim the Zone 5 title.

The girls’ team, coached by Munyaneza Joseline, also impressed despite narrowly missing qualification after finishing third to claim the bronze medal.

Munyaneza said the academic calendar disrupted preparations, delaying the arrival of several players, but praised her squad's resilience after overcoming the setback to secure a bronze medal

The bronze medal nevertheless represents another encouraging step for Rwanda’s girls’ programme, which continues to develop alongside the country’s expanding investment in basketball.

The 2026 edition in Cairo proved to be one of Rwanda’s most successful youth campaigns in recent years.

The boys recorded impressive results, defeating Tanzania 86-57, before losing to Egypt 71-80 in the group stage.

They bounced back with a 70-65 victory over Uganda in the semi-finals to reach the final, where they were crowned champions.

The girls, meanwhile, started their campaign with a narrow 58-60 defeat to Tanzania, followed by a 77-66 win over Kenya.

They suffered 39-80 loss against Egypt before falling 74-78 in the semi-finals.

Rwanda recovered strongly to claim the bronze medal after beating Tanzania 64-60 in the third-place playoff.

The FIBA U18 AfroBasket Zone 5 Qualifiers 2026 brought together eight teams in the boys’ category and four teams in the girls’ category.

In the boys’ competition, the participating teams were hosts Egypt, Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda, while the girls’ tournament featured Egypt, Rwanda, Kenya, and Tanzania.

Photos