Uganda’s national women’s basketball team, the Gazelles, are on a dream run at the 2025 FIBA AfroBasket in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, after an inspiring first-round performance that has rekindled hopes of a historic campaign.
In Group C action at the Palais des Sports in Treichville, the Gazelles dismantled Guinea with a dominant 88-51 victory before edging past African basketball giants Senegal 73-70. These results saw them finish the group stage undefeated and secure an automatic spot in the quarterfinals, an achievement that has put the basketball world on notice.
Uganda will now face either Egypt or South Sudan in the quarterfinals on Thursday, with a semifinal spot and automatic qualification to the next AfroBasket tournament within reach.
The Gazelles are out to surpass their 2023 AfroBasket finish, where they bowed out at the quarterfinal stage after a close 66-61 loss to hosts Rwanda. That match turned on a critical injury to star forward Jane Asinde, whose absence tilted the balance. This year, with Asinde fully fit and leading the charge once again, Uganda is hungry for more.
If the Gazelles win on Thursday, they are set to face Mozambique in the semifinals a major opportunity to stake their claim among Africa’s elite.
Uganda first featured in the AfroBasket in 1997, and only made a second appearance in 2015. Their return in 2023, after an eight-year absence, ended in a respectable 7th-place finish. But 2025 could be the year that changes everything.
This group of Gazelles has shown grit, growth, and renewed belief qualities that have made them one of the most exciting teams in the tournament so far. As they chase a place in the final four, one question remains: how far can they go? The ride continues Thursday and Uganda is watching.
