)
After that big performance, Otto believes Uganda will only get the results they require to qualify by maintaining the same kind of energy and fight they showed against the North Africans.
Jannon Otto recorded 27 points and 14 rebounds in her second game for the Gazelles as Uganda defeated Egypt 86-85 to get back in the picture of booking a ticket to this year’s AfroBasket.
The victory can be attributed to so many things but the addition of the Luxemburg based small forward has clearly given the Gazelles the right first option of offence.
And after that big performance, Otto believes Uganda will only get the results they require to qualify by maintaining the same kind of energy and fight the showed against the North Africans.
“I felt the energy was great and the fans helped us with that,” Otto said after the win Wednesday night.
“We were playing hard the whole night, passing to each other finding open fast breaks,” she added.
Alberto Antuna’s charges did not have time to mourn that opening night loss to Kenya and that is the same case as they prepare to face a spirited South Sudan side on Thursday.
Uganda will be playing a third straight game in three days and victory will be enough to get into the top two.
But they come up against a South Sudan side that recorded her first ever win in competitive basketball on Wednesday, a 54-40 triumph over Rwanda.
That result, however, will not count since Rwanda is already qualified for AfroBasket as hosts and South Sudan cannot afford another loss having fallen to Egypt in the opening game of the qualifiers.
“We just have to limit our turnovers and keep the same energy we had,” Otto said of the clash ahead.
“Just keep playing hard and fighting like we did against Egypt.”
The Gazelles line up changed against Egypt with Evelyne Nakiyingi and Brenda Ekone getting the nod to start ahead of Flavia Oketcho and Rita Imanishimwe respectively.
Ekone went on to be a thorn in the Egyptian flesh with her pace every time Uganda got an outlet for quick transition. She scored 10 points.
Oketcho and Imanishimwe came off the bench to contribute 13 and eight points respectively.
With Hope Akello adding a double-double of 14 points and 11 rebounds, the Gazelles held their nerves to win by a point. But that might count for nothing if the hosts fail to get a result against South Sudan.
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)