Ubumwe lose opening game in Fiba Zone V Champs

RWANDA's Ubumwe Basketball Club endured a humble debut, losing 77-58 at hands of Burundian hopefuls Berco Stars in the women's category opening match of the underway FIBA Africa Zone Five Club Championship. Hosted by Rwanda for the first time since 2007, the 21st edition of the annual Zone Five Club Championship kicked-offon Sunday (yesterday) and will through to October 11 at Amahoro indoor stadium. The Genocide Memorial Tournament (GMT) reigning champions Berco Stars led by small forward Florence Sifa Kalume with perfect shoots and ankle-breaking moves, started the game more energetic to steal the 31-10 first quarter lead before going into half-time leading home-side Ubumwe by 47-22. Returning from half-time break, Charles Mushumba 's Ubumwe looked awake, dominated the third quarter to claim it 25-14, hence cutting Berco's lead from 25 to 14 points going into the final quarter. Angered Patrick Ngwijuruvugo's Berco Stars claimed the fourth quarter by 16-11 to register a 77-58 victory over debutants Ubumwe. Sifa Kalume of Berco scored the game high with 21 points while Alice Muhongerwa topped Ubumwe's scoring sheet with 15 points. In a post-match interview with Times Sport, Ubumwe head coach Charles Mushumba blamed the defeat to a slow first-quarter start but noted the team will return stronger for Wednesday's encounter against KCCA of Uganda.
Elsewhere, last year's second runners-up City Oilers from Uganda started the week-long regional tournament with a 66-51 win over Burundi's Dynamo in men's competition while countrymen Tiger Head Power humiliated 100-51 debutants National Engineering and Logistics of South Sudan in the second game of the day. By press time, 2012 winners Espoir of Rwanda were supposed to take on Ulinzi of Kenya while Egyptian giants Gezira and Kenya'sKPA were set to lock horns in the fifth and final game of Day-One later The initial number of 20 participating teams has reduced to 16, 10 men's and 6 female teams after four sides including men's title holders Urunani of Burundi pulled out due to final constraints. This year's edition will see three teams, two male and one female side qualifying for the Fiba Africa Club Championship to be held in Angola later this year.
Courtesy of: intsinzi.rw