GLIWICE (Poland) - Two games into Tunisia's preparations for the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT), things are looking challenging for the reigning African champions, but there is hope.

Tunisia lost to Russia and Mexico over the weekend in the Polish city of Gliwice in two warm-up games ahead of the OQT in Split, where they will face hosts Croatia and Brazil in the Group Phase.  

Still,  Salah Mejri - one of Tunisia's key players - remains optimistic about the future of the team.

"WE ARE NOT TAKING ANYTHING FOR GRANTED, AND THAT'S WHY WE ARE GOING TO TRY TO CAPITALIZE FROM THE OQT EXPERIENCE. IT WILL MAKE TUNISIA STRONGER FOR THE AFROBASKET."- Salah Mejri

The Split OQT Qualifiers will run from June 29 to July 4, but before that, the Tunisians will try to readjust when they play friendly games Germany and Czech Republic next week.

"It's too early to measure up our team because right now we are working with a new team that only includes four veterans," Mejri told FIBA.basketball.

Some of Tunisia key players had a long season, which saw seven of them featuring for US Monastir in the inaugural Basketball Africa League last month in Kigali.

"Some of those guys will join us in Germany next week." Mejri added.

Whatever Tunisia's OQT outcome might be, Mejri insists, "it will make Tunisia stronger for the AfroBasket."

The 16-nation FIBA Africa's flagship tournament will take place in Kigali, Rwanda, from August 24 to September 5.

And the reigning African champions have been drawn in Group B alongside Guinea, Central African Republic and Egypt with the winner of the group advancing automatically to the Quarter-Finals.

Tunisia have tried to defend their continental before after winning their first-ever AfroBasket in 2011.

However, things didn't work as they expected after falling to eventual finalists Egypt in qualification to the Quarter-Finals at 2013 AfroBasket in Abidjan.

 
Mejri, who was named the 2011 AfroBasket MVP, was part of the Tunisian team in Abidjan, and he knows too well how hard they have to work to protect their continental crown in Kigali.

"Egypt is a really good and competitive team," Mejri admitted. "Egypt has been doing a great job with its national teams, and we are going to need to step up and be ready for them."

Tunisia beat Central Africa Republic 63-58 in the second round of the 2021 AfroBasket Qualifiers

He continued: "I am sure our coaching staff will get us ready for Guinea and Central Africa Republic, a team that gave us a really hard in the qualifiers last February in Monastir. It's another tough team.

"We are not taking anything for granted, and that's why we are going to try to capitalize from the OQT experience. It will make Tunisia stronger for the AfroBasket.

"Our main goal is to defend the AfroBasket title. It won't be easy but we'll do our best because this might be the last AfroBasket for some of my teammates." 

The teams that finish runners-up in their groups will face the third-placed teams for a spot in the Quarter-Finals.

Until the Kigali showdown, the Tunisians will try to reach the Tokyo Olympics via the Split OQT.

Four national teams will complete the 12-team Olympics line-up via four OQT tournaments in Split, Victoria (Canada), Belgrade (Serbia) and Kaunas (Lithuania). 

Tunisia's only Olympic appearance happened nine years ago at the 2012 London Games.

FIBA