ANTANANARIVO (Madagascar) - It is exactly one month before the FIBA U18 African Championship 2022.

The biennially tournament is returning to Antananarivo, Madagascar for the first time since 2014.

The tournament will take place from August 4-15. 

Expected at the championship are 12 teams from the seven FIBA Africa qualifying zones .

Two-time winners Mali will attempt to retain the trophy to inch closer to 7-time winners Nigeria, Egypt (5) and Angola (4).

In the 2020 Final Round played in Cairo, Egypt, Mali defeated Senegal 82-80 while Egypt settled for bronze with a win over Guinea 72-55.

Host Madagascar is proposing two match venues: one of which is the Palaise des Sports Mahamasina. It is the best sporting arena in Antananarivo.

Aside from being the venue for not just sporting events, it is where major events are organized because of its facilities and the ambiance it exudes.

Expect crazy and rowdy crowds at Palais de Sports Mahamasina in Antananarivo when it concerns sports, especially basketball.

Malagasy fans are known as some of the most passionate and enthusiasts across Africa.

There hasn't been a continental championship held in Madagascar that local fans disappointed. They cheer, they sing, and more importantly, they respect the game.

The championship in the men's category has also produced stars that have made their marks not just on the African continent but in Europe and America.

Former U18 African Championships over the last editions of the tournament include Mali's Waly Coulibaly (2006), Egypt’s Amr Gendy (2008), Egypt’s Aly Mohamed Ahmed (2010),  Egypt’s Ehab Amin (2012), Angola's Gerson Domingos (2014), Angola’s Sílvio De Sousa (2016), Mali's Siriman Kanoute (2018), and Bourama Coulibaly (2020).

In some instances, some of the former MVP are vital members of their men'd national teams, whom younger players look up to. 

The winners and runners-up of the  FIBA U18 African Championship earn the right to represent the continent at the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup the following years. Seven countries have represented the continent in the global U19 basketball festival. Those countries are Angola, Cote d'Ivoire, Egypt, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal and Tunisia.

So far, qualified teams for this year's U18 African Championship include Senegal, Egypt, Mali, Guinea, Madagascar, Rwanda and Angola. Other qualified teams would be announced at later stage.

FIBA