The final window of the FIBA Men's AfroBasket 2025 Qualifiers is here! With 20 teams fighting for 11 spots, the stakes are sky-high. Who will rise, and who will fall short? Catch all the action as Africa’s best battle for qualification!
Last Updated on
February 13, 2025
The final leg of the AfroBasket 2025 qualification is finally upon us, with five fiercely competitive groups battling for a spot! The top two from each group punch their ticket, while the best third-place team fights to join them.
Host nation Angola has already qualified, which adds an intriguing twist—their national team's performance during this final window could shake up the final standings and open the door for another third-placed squad! At late change in November, Morocco replaced Mozambique in the qualifiers and joined Group A. All 20 remaining teams have already participated in at least one round of qualifiers and are well acquainted with the opposition.
This highly competitive group comprises Mali, Morocco, DR Congo, and South Sudan, Africa's 2024 Paris Olympic men's basketball heroes. The pack of talented hoopers participated in the first round of the qualifiers in Senegal in November, where they played three games in three days. South Sudan was a favorite as they dazzled on the world stage after several excellent performances during the World Cup in 2023 and the Olympics last summer.
However, on the final day of the last window, they were stunned, 76-69, by DR Congo. The Congolese played a clinical game of basketball that stifled the Bright Stars in a thrilling overtime game led by captain Rolly Fula. The DRC squad is now in a great position to qualify, as they remain the only undefeated team in their group. South Sudan will look to get their revenge against DR Congo and book their tickets for the big show in August.
The Wenyen Gabriel-led squad is currently second with two wins. Mali follows them with one win, and the host country, Morocco, has yet to record a win. That said, they will have everything to play for in Rabat.
Group B was previously considered one of the most evenly matched collections of countries before the qualifiers in Tunisia started. However, like it is with African basketball, nothing is predictable. Cape Verde went undefeated and topped the group after narrow wins against Uganda and Libya. They outclassed former senior men's giants Nigeria on the final day of the competition 78-62 and will be looking to cement their position against Libya.
Libya, which narrowly lost to Cape Verde, 72-68, will turn to its fans for support as it looks to right its wrongs against Cape Verde. Libya is second after defeating Nigeria in an opening-night thriller and dominating Uganda in their next game. Uganda sits in second place, with its only win coming against Nigeria, seemingly nailed to the bottom of the group with no wins in three games.
There are two runaway favorites in this group: Senegal and Cameroon. The two West African giants faced off on the final day in Dakar after comfortably defeating their opponents in their first two games. Senegal secured an 87-83 victory in a thrilling clash, with Euroleague star Brancou Badio leading all scorers with 31 points. It was undoubtedly one of the standout games of the tournament.
The two powerhouses will clash again in Rabat on the final day, with group supremacy and bragging rights on the line. Meanwhile, Rwanda sits in third place after a dominant 90-63 win over Gabon—their only victory so far. Gabon remains winless at the bottom of the group and will use this opportunity to compete and rebuild, especially following the recent administrative takeover of their national federation.
Côte d'Ivoire and Egypt entered the group stage as clear favorites, backed by their rich continental pedigree and star-studded rosters. They lived up to the hype, steamrolling Madagascar and Central African Republic in their first two games. But with both countries unbeaten, the final-day showdown was all about bragging rights and momentum heading into the next stage.
In their nail-biting and highly contested clash, Egypt had the full force of their home crowd behind them, but it wasn't enough to hold off a relentless Côte d'Ivoire. The Ivorians edged out the Pharaohs to claim a 79-76 victory, sealing their perfect record.
Meanwhile, Madagascar, fresh off a win over the Central African Republic, will be looking to capitalize on home-court advantage in Antananarivo as they push for qualification. The Central African Republic's journey to establish itself as a force in African basketball continues.
Tunisia and Angola leaned on their decorated history as favorites heading into the second window. Both teams proved why they are African powerhouses, delivering dominant wins in their opening games. But the real showdown came on the final day when they went head-to-head in a battle for bragging rights.
The two teams put on a show in front of an electric Tunisian crowd, but it was the home side that claimed victory. Led by their captain, Radhouane Slimane, Tunisia secured an 82-73 win, leaving Angola hungry for revenge when they meet again in Tripoli.
Kenya sits third in the group after edging out Guinea in a nail-biter. Both teams still have a shot at qualification, especially with a chance to prove themselves in the next round. The stage is set as Africa’s basketball kings step back onto the court to fight for their nations.
How much will the last round impact these final qualifiers? Which roster changes will prove to be game-changers? We’ll find out when the final whistles blow in Antananarivo, Rabat, and Tripoli.
[Imagery and Photography Courtesy of FIBA]
