Review: In the 2024 FIBA U17 World Cup held in Turkey, African representatives Egypt and Guinea concluded their campaigns with 12th and 14th place finishes, respectively. Despite showcasing significant talent and potential, both teams encountered stiff competition, ultimately hindering their progress to higher rankings.
Last Updated on
July 8, 2024
The U17 World Championship wrapped up on Sunday, July 7th, 2024, in Istanbul, Turkey, with African nations Egypt and Guinea securing 12th and 14th place finishes, respectively. Despite their talent, both teams fell short of their expectations, facing formidable opposition throughout the tournament.
Guinea, in its debut at this level, displayed remarkable resilience despite limited preparation. Overcoming challenges such as inadequate training and a delayed arrival in Istanbul, Syli basketball managed to secure two wins out of seven games, a testament to their unwavering spirit.
Although the heavy loss against the USA (49-124) will be hard to forget, Syli basketball showcased resilience against other opponents, highlighting emerging talents like Arfan Diane. Diane, nominated for tournament MVP, emerged as one of the premier centers, averaging 11.7 rebounds per game. Abdourahmane Touré made headlines with a record-breaking 51-point performance against China, leading as the tournament's top scorer with 161 points, averaging 23 points per game.
Despite the internal challenges within Guinea's national basketball administration that hindered the team's performance, the potential of the promising young Guinean players shines through. Their upcoming participation in the FIBA U18 AfroBasket in South Africa is a beacon of hope for the team's future.
Egypt, whose programme has a wealth of experience at the FIBA U17 World Cup level, faced several issues stemming from its relatively inexperienced and young squad. Egypt has regularly competed in this tournament since 2010, consistently finishing between 11th and 16th places, with its best showing in 2022, when it secured 10th place.
Egypt struggled throughout the group stage, failing to secure a victory in their initial three matches against Australia (82-85), Canada (63-72), and Germany (71-72). Their run ended in the Round of 16 with a defeat against New Zealand (64-85). However, they salvaged a victory in the subsequent classification matches, defeating China (85-73), ultimately securing a 12th-place finish despite a final loss to Germany (65-88).
Despite the challenges, Egypt's basketball development efforts have shown clear progress in the 2024 tournament. Coach Amr Aboelkhir attributed their struggles, in part, to their players' physical stature compared to their opponents, emphasising the need for continued development in the national youth program. This progress instils optimism for Egypt's future performance in international competitions.
[Photography / Imagery Courtesy of FIBA]
