Senegal overcome Morocco in nail-biter to claim bronze at 2024 U18 AfroBasket

The opening quarter set the tone for what would become one of the tournament’s most thrilling contests. Both teams exchanged blows right from the tip-off, with Senegal managing to squeeze out a narrow 20-19 lead by the end of the first quarter. Morocco remained within striking distance, never letting Senegal get too far ahead.

By the second quarter, Senegal pushed the pace, extending their lead to 4 points heading into halftime. But Morocco, driven by their desire to secure a place on the podium, refused to back down. Despite Senegal’s efforts to stretch the lead, Morocco’s persistence kept the deficit manageable.

Coming into the third quarter, Senegal looked ready to seize control, bolstering their lead to 54-49. At this point, it seemed like they were on the verge of pulling away for good.  The Senegalese defense tightened up, and the Young Lions of Teranga appeared poised for a comfortable win.

But Morocco were not finished. In the final quarter, Omar Karem ignited a rally that almost turned the game around for the North African side. With Senegal up 70-62 and less than a minute remaining, Karem drained two consecutive three-pointers, one of them with just 16 seconds on the clock, to close the gap to 72-68. Just seconds later, he nailed another shot from beyond the arc, cutting Senegal’s lead to a single point, 72-71.

With mere seconds remaining, all eyes were on Karem to see if he could pull off one final miracle. But the game clock had other plans. Time expired before Morocco could take another shot, and Senegal’s players erupted in celebration as the final buzzer confirmed their victory.

Karem’s remarkable performance saw him finish as the game’s top scorer with 23 points and 4 rebounds. His teammate, Mohamed Bahmad, put in a double-double effort with 19 points and 13 rebounds, while Rayane Solhi added 1 4 points to the tally. Despite their individual brilliance, Morocco fell just short of achieving a comeback that would have gone down in AfroBasket history.

On the other side, Senegal’s players delivered a balanced team effort. Codé Mbengue was a force inside, recording 17 points and 15 rebounds in a dominant display. He was supported by Cheikh Biteye (14 points), El Hadji Doudou Diahame (11 points),and Kara Sene (10 points), whose contributions helped to steady the ship when the game seemed to be slipping away.

Following the victory, Tidiane Ludovic d’Almeida, one of the team’s key figures, expressed the team’s determination to bounce back after their heartbreaking semifinal loss to Mali.

"Yesterday, we were so sad when we lost a game we could have won. Mali caught up with us. So,for today, we wanted to make amends," d’Almeida said.

Reflecting on the nail-biting finish against Morocco, d’Almeida added that things were tough for Senegal in the final seconds of the game.

"It was complicated for us, especially with a guy who was pulling three-pointers in the last seconds. But the most important thing was to win, and we did it."

The Senegalese point guard also looked to the future, expressing a personal ambition that went beyond this bronze medal.

"When I was a kid, I wrote that one day I’ll be an African champion with Senegal, something my father couldn’t achieve. There are people around me to help me reach this goal. To the fans, we tried to make you proud, and even though we lost the semifinals, you stood by us. Thank you for all the support you showed," he ended.

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[Photography / Imagery Courtesy of FIBA]