Tough start for Don Bosco Lady Lioness in WBLA 2025 qualifiers
DAR ES SALAAM: TANZANIAN’S Don Bosco Lady Lioness endured a challenging start to their campaign at the FIBA Women’s Basketball League Africa (WBLA) 2025 Qualifiers, falling 87–38 to Rwanda’s REG Women BBC in their opening Group B match at the Nyayo National Stadium over the weekend.
REG asserted dominance from the opening tip, combining sharp offence, suffocating defence, and cohesive teamwork to cement their status as early favourites in the group.
They raced to a commanding 26–4 first-quarter lead, fuelled by their high-tempo play and full-court pressure, which left Don Bosco struggling to find its rhythm. By halftime, REG had extended its advantage to 51–19, effectively putting the contest beyond reach for Don Bosco.
The Rwandan side maintained control throughout, outscoring the Tanzanian representatives 22–12 in the third quarter and 14–7 in the fourth, sealing a near-flawless performance. REG’s relentless defensive intensity and quick transitions forced numerous turnovers, converting them into easy fast-break points.
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For Don Bosco, the defeat underscored the level of competition at this stage but also offered key lessons for improvement. To stay competitive in the qualifiers, the Tanzanian side will need to start stronger, sharpen their shot selection and tighten defensive rotations in the remaining two group stage matches.
According to Tanzania Basketball Federation (TBF) Secretary-General Mwenze Kabinda, Tanzania is represented by two clubs in the WBLA Zone V Qualifiers, Don Bosco Lady Lioness from Dar es Salaam and Fox Divas from Mara.
Both teams earned their places by reaching the finals of the 2024 National Women’s Basketball League. Don Bosco is placed in Group B, alongside Les Hippos of Burundi and Zetech University of Rwanda.
Fox Divas, meanwhile, compete in Group A, which includes Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), APR of Rwanda, Gladiators of Burundi and Stormers of Uganda.
Fox Divas opened their campaign last night against Stormers and are set to face APR today. Don Bosco Lady Lioness will return to the court tomorrow for their second and crucial fixture against Les Hippos. The WBLA Zone V Qualifiers continue this in Nairobi and are scheduled to conclude on November 15.
