Your Weekly Dose of FIBA Africa Zone 7 News: From Comoros’ school basketball push to Madagascar’s busy calendar, Mauritius’ CJSOI prep, Mayotte’s Vautour Club’s Coupe de France run, and Reunion’s Tamponnaise making history—catch all the key updates shaping the zone’s basketball scene!
Last Updated on
January 30, 2025
In an innovative effort to promote basketball and Olympic values in schools, the Comorian Basketball Federation has launched an ambitious project in collaboration with several schools. The initiative aims to introduce children, particularly young girls, to the game of basketball while instilling in them the principles of solidarity, respect and perseverance.
The project, supported by the FIBA Foundation, seeks to encourage sporting inclusion from an early age and to introduce Comorian youth to a sport that is as demanding as it is value-laden. After a promising initial test at the Maison des Enfants school in Moroni, the project could soon be extended to other regions of the Comoros, paving the way for wider development of the sport nationwide.
The focus on young girls reflects a desire to give all generations equal access to this sporting activity, while encouraging the participation of girls in sports that are still too often dominated by boys. If the pilot experiment proves successful, the project could spread rapidly, giving a new lease of life to school basketball in the Comoros and beyond.
Madagascar's Ankoay have a busy year ahead of them, starting with the 2025 FIBA AfroBasket qualifiers in Antananarivo from February 21 to 23, in their Mahamas backyard. Madagascar, drawn in Group D with Côte d'Ivoire, Egypt and the Central African Republic, must hold on to at least third place if they are to reach the final phase in August in Luanda, Angola. The local players are already preparing, while the overseas players will join the team before the tournament.
The men's and women's African 3×3 champions will also have an ambitious season, marked by the first World Champions Cup in Bangkok (March 14-16), followed by the FIBA 3x3 World Cup in Mongolia (June 23-29). The men will be returning for a second time, while the women will be making their first appearance at this competition.
Finally, Madagascar will host the African 3×3 Championship for the second time, from November 27 to 30, at the Palais des Sports in Antananarivo. The young players have not been left out: the U16 teams could take part in the FIBA U16 Afrobasket (July 26 July-August 3), although their participation has yet to be confirmed.
Jean-Marie Bhugeerathee and Pascal Prayag have been appointed as Head Coaches of the Mauritius men's and women's basketball teams ahead of the Jeux de la Commission de la Jeunesse et des Sports de l’Océan Indien (CJSOI), scheduled for July 28 July to August 10 2025 in the Seychelles.
These appointments are part of an ambitious drive to raise the standard of Mauritian teams in the face of increasingly formidable regional competition. Bhugeerathee, who has a wealth of experience in developing young talent and is known for his methodical approach, will be in charge of the women's team. He will be assisted by Nicolas Alexis, a young coach who will have the opportunity to hone his skills on the regional scene.
Pascal Prayag, a key figure with the Mahebourg Filppers, one of Mauritius' most prominent clubs, will be responsible for leading the young Mauritians to a memorable performance. In collaboration with Bernard Nuchadee, an experienced tactician who has proved his worth with the youngsters in D2, he will be looking to build a competitive team capable of competing with the best teams in the region.
The Jeux de la CJSOI is a regional showcase for the young sporting talent of the Indian Ocean islands and presents a major avenue for clubs to showcase their quest for excellence.
Vautour Club de Labattoir made their mark in the zone final of the men's Coupe de France Trophy. The Mahorais first got the better of Tamponnaise Basket Ball, winning 73-55. Faced with a struggling Reunion side, the Vautour dominated thanks to a solid team and a well-organised defence.
This first victory enabled them to progress to a crucial duel against Gennevilliers, where they confirmed their superiority. In a game that was tightly contested right to the end, the Vautour Club de Labattoir players came away with a short but precious victory, 79-76.
With these two victories, Vautour Club are continuing their run in the Coupe de France Trophy and establishing themselves as an ambitious and formidable team in this competition.
The players from Tamponnaise Basketball are pursuing their exceptional run in the Coupe de France. After a resounding 72-53 victory over their Indian Ocean rivals from Mayotte, who hosted the finals, the Reunion Island players have made it to the last 16.
They face a stiff challenge today against Sceaux, a formidable National 1 side. The match will be played in mainland France, where the Tampon-based side will have to overcome not only the quality of their opponents, but also the winter cold.
Buoyed by their success in Mayotte, the islanders are determined to put up a great performance and aim for a place in the Round of 16. The match promises to be a thrilling clash of overseas determination and national experience.
[Photography/Imagery : Courtesy of Comoros Basketball Federation, FIBA, Defi Media Group, Vautour Club de Labattoir, Ligue Régionale de Basket-Ball de La Réunion]
