Uganda’s U21 Women’s 3×3 basketball team delivered a masterclass in resilience and tactical dominance to capture the Stop 1 title at the FIBA 3×3 Youth Nations League in Tunisia.
Maintaining a flawless record across three matches, the young Gazelles showcased tactical maturity, combining lethal perimeter scoring with elite paint protection to announce themselves as the team to beat in the tournament.
The campaign kicked off with a statement 16-9 victory over hosts Tunisia, where Uganda overcame a distinct height disadvantage through relentless perimeter offence.
Bushira Namyanja and Zoe Atek combined for 13 of Uganda’s 16 points, pouring in 6 and 7 points respectively to unravel the host’s defence.
Inside the arc, anchor Sarah Namale used her imposing frame to lock down the paint, neutralising Tunisia’s size advantage and dictating the tempo of the game.
Uganda demonstrated incredible grit in their second fixture against regional rivals Kenya, grinding out an 8-7 victory in a defensive slugfest.
After charging to a 5-1 lead within the opening three minutes, the offensive rhythm stalled, forcing Uganda to rely entirely on disciplined defence.
A late two-pointer from Kenya’s Vanessa Adongo at the buzzer wasn’t enough to overturn the deficit, securing Uganda’s top spot in their pool and a ticket to the final.
In the final against an undefeated Algerian squad, Uganda left no room for doubt, charging to a commanding 17-7 victory.
A quick 7-3 advantage in the opening three minutes exploded into an unanswered 8-0 run, stretching the lead to ten points with two minutes remaining.
Namayanja led all scorers with a game-high 7 points, while Namale’s dominant interior play netted 6 points and completely disrupted Algeria’s frontcourt, sealing the Stop 1 championship in style.
The Ugandan men’s team experienced a mixed opening day, finishing fourth overall after recovering from a heavy 21-6 defeat against Algeria to bounce back with a gritty 21-18 win over Benin.
Both the men’s and women’s squads shift their focus immediately to Stop 2 action in Pool A, where the women clash with Egypt at 7:00 pm EAT and Benin at 10:50 pm EAT, while the men prepare for crucial matchups against Kenya at 7:25 pm EAT and Benin at 9:15 pm EAT.
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