Kenya Lionesses bowed out of the race for the 2019 Fiba Africa Women's championships title after losing 64-51 to Angola in a pre-quarterfinal match in Dakar, Senegal.
The loss will now see Kenya battle four other teams, which did not make the cut, in the position 9-12 classification matches.
Kenya got off to a bright start, tying 6-6 with the African giants in the opening minutes. But at the end of the quarter, Angola led 15-12.
The second quarter another closely fought affair as captain Hilda Indasi, Betty Kananu and Belinda Okoth put a combined 18 points on the board for a 29-29 deadlock at the breather.
Angola, led by veteran guard Italee Lucas, then got the rhythm they needed as they sailed to a 23-19 advantage in the third quarter for a 43-35 lead.
The ‘never-say-die’ Kenyans fought hard to close in on Angola in the decisive fourth stanza but the winners proved too strong with a 21-14 cushion to advance.
Before their meeting with Angola, Kenya played in Pool ‘D’ where they also went down 55-39 to Mozambique and 64-57 to Cape Verde.
