Juruni calls for composure as Silverbacks seek bounce back against Mali

FIBA 2027 World Cup African Qualifiers 

Group D (Window Two)

Thursday 26th
Angola 90 Uganda 68

Saturday, 9pm (Uganda time)
Uganda v Mali

Uganda Silverbacks first assistant coach Mandy Juruni has urged his players to quickly fix their mistakes and shift focus to the next challenge after a heavy 90-68 loss to African champions Angola in their Group D opener of the FIBA 2027 World Cup African Qualifiers Window Two on Thursday.

“We knew this was going to be a tough game, a physical game. There are some areas we need to clean up. They had offensive boards early on, and looking after the ball a bit better are some of the areas to improve,” Juruni said.

Playing at the Borg Elarab Arena in Alexandria, Egypt, Uganda found Angola too strong and physical on the night. The Palancas Negras controlled three of the four quarters and punished Uganda’s errors to seal a 22-point victory.

Uganda’s performance was largely affected by 35 turnovers, which handed Angola 40 easy points. Angola opened the contest with a devastating 17-0 run before Fayed Baale responded with a three-point jump shot. By the end of the first quarter, Angola led 27-13.

In the second quarter, Uganda showed signs of improvement. They handled the ball slightly better and created better plays. Nike Sibande thrilled fans with a big dunk and later added a floating jump shot, but Uganda still trailed by 18 points at halftime.

After the break, Angola’s smart switches and solid screens stretched the lead to 27 points heading into the final quarter. Uganda attempted a comeback, going on a 10-0 run to cut the deficit to 15 points (75-60) with 6:44 left, forcing Angola into a timeout. However, Angola responded strongly, scoring 15 more points before Peter Obleng hit a late three-pointer to close the contest.

“There were certain parts of the game that I thought we did well, we defended well, we competed on the boards. We didn't make shots because there's more to the game than making shots. But if you're saying that, it's because you're not getting good shots, and we didn't get the shots that we wanted. We didn't get the flow we wanted,” Juruni explained.

Selton Miguel led all scorers with 19 points for Angola. AfroBasket MVP Childe Dundao delivered a brilliant all-round display with 15 points, nine assists and 10 steals in 27 minutes, narrowly missing a triple-double. Kevin Kokila added 13 points, Islando Manuel scored 11, and Abou Gakou contributed 10.

For Uganda, Deng Geu stood out with a double-double of 17 points and 12 rebounds. Nike Sibande impressed on his international debut with 15 points, four rebounds and seven assists, while Joel Kayira added 10 points. Juruni welcomed Sibande’s effort, noting that he brought energy and confidence despite the team’s struggles.

“There’s nothing to feel good about; now we have to move on to our next game. We need to focus and move forward for the game against Mali. It’s tough that we didn’t win, but we still have a chance to bounce back,” Juruni added.

Uganda now face Mali on Saturday at 9pm Uganda time in a must-win encounter to keep their qualification hopes alive. Mali have won the last three meetings against Uganda, including an 85-72 victory at AfroBasket on August 14, 2025, a 95-80 win on June 30, 2018, and a narrow 79-76 triumph on February 24, 2018.

The Silverbacks must reduce turnovers, protect the ball, control rebounds and improve shot selection if they are to revive their campaign and keep their World Cup dream alive.

Mali will rely heavily on their seven-foot center Ballo, who rose to prominence at the 2019 FIBA U19 World Cup where he guided Mali to the final. The former US college star remains a dominant force in the paint and is expected to play a key role in the qualifiers.