KIGALI (Rwanda) - As winners of their groups, Cape Verde, Cote d'Ivoire, Senegal and Tunisia qualified automatically to the FIBA AfroBasket 2021 Quarter-Finals. Which teams will claim the last four spots? 

Angola, Egypt, Guinea, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Sudan and Uganda at set to do battle for the remain four tickets to the Last Eight Round.

Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Mali have all been eliminated after finishing last in their groups.

Kigali Arena, the battle ground of the 30th edition of FIBA AfroBasket, has witnessed a number epic matchups so far, and over the next two days, the showdown continues. 

ANGOLA vs EGYPT. MONDAY, AUGUST 30 AT 15:00 GMT+2  

The race to the last four tickets to the Quarter-Finals couldn't have paired better teams with these two former African champions set to battling it out for their AfroBasket 2021 survival. 

Angola finished third in Group A after defeats to Cape Verde and Rwanda, but the Southern Africans bounced back in the final game of their group with a 73-58 victory over the Democratic Republic of Congo. 

Angola finished 1-2 in Group A.

Egypt had a promising start to the tournament beating the Central African Republic 72-56, but giving up a 19-point lead in one of the highly-anticipated games of the tournament resulted in Egypt's 87-81 defeat against reigning AfroBasket champions Tunisia. And, against all the odds the Pharaohs came up short against Guinea in their last game in Group B.

Just like Angola, finished 1-2 in their group.

Omar Oraby is seen here in action against Angola during the FIBA Basketball World Cup African Qualifiers 2019

Angola and Egypt have faced each other multiple times over the past years with the former enjoying a 4-0 head-to-head advantage dating back to the 2013 edition of the AfroBasket when Angola beat Egypt 57-40 to lift their last African Championship title.

In between, Angola beat Egypt at AfroBasket 2015 (83-63), and during the FIBA Basketball World Cup African Qualifiers 2019 (68-64 in Luanda and 65-68 in Cairo).

What set these two teams apart and what do the numbers show?

Points per game:
Angola (70.0) v Egypt (68.7)

Points allowed:
Angola (68.7) v Egypt (76.3)

Turn Overs:
Angola (14) v Egypt (17.3)

Assists:
Angola (14.7) v Egypt (17)

Key Player(s):

Jilson Bango has become a breath of fresh air for Angola. The 22-year-old power forward/center's numbers speak for themselves.

He averaged 10 points and 10 rebounds in his first three AfroBasket 2021 games. Aggressive at both ends of the floor and with a flawless footwork, Bango is the man Egypt's bigs will have to keep an eye on.

Egypt's Ehab Saleh Amin is probably this tournament's most productive sixth-man.

Ehab Amin

The former FIBA U18 African Championship MVP has been spectacular for Egypt at both ends of the floor, averaging a team-high 20 points per game and a tournament-best four steals per game. The Angolans can't be careless with the ball with the Amin on the floor. 

RWANDA vs GUINEA. MONDAY, AUGUST 30 AT 18:00 GMT+2 

Rwanda closed their Group A campaign on the back of two wins and a loss. 

The hosts opened their AfroBasket 2021 campaign with a resounding 82-68 victory over the Democratic Republic of Congo. Two days later, Rwanda recorded their biggest win at AfroBasket after beating Angola 71-68.

With a Kigali Arena almost at full capacity, what else could have Rwanda asked for to stay undefeated ? But, a cold-blooded Cape Verde team had a other plans; they never panicked beating Rwanda 82-74 in Group A's last game.

Rwanda finished their Group Phase run with a 2-1 record.

Rwanda faced Guinea at AfroBasket 2017

The only time that Rwanda and Guinea faced off at AfroBasket, the former prevailed 75-55 in a Group Phase clash in the 2017 edition of the tournament in Tunisia. 

What set these two teams apart and what do the numbers show?

Points per game:
Rwanda (75.7) v Guinea (64)

Points allowed:
Rwanda (72.7) v Guinea (73.6)

Turn Overs:
Rwanda (16.7) v Guinea (19.3)

Assists:
Rwanda (21) v Guinea (18.3)

Key Player(s):

Although Keneth Gasana remains Rwanda's most experienced player, William Robeyns, Alex Mpoyo, Prince Ibeh and Jean Jacques Nshobozwabyosenumukiza have been extremely important in different roles and capacities.

Jean Jacques Nshobozwabyosenumukiza

On the other hand, Cedric Mansare's 16.3 points per game say it all about his impact on this Guinea squad. But, it needs to be said that Cheick Conde is a force to be reckoned with. Conde has been great for Guinea in the paint, averaging 13.7 and 6.3 rebounds per game.

NIGERIA vs UGANDA. TUESDAY, AUGUST 31 AT 15:00 GMT +2  

The Nigerians seem to be trying to be build a team identity in Kigali, but this hasn't prevented them from winning their first two games in Group C against Mali and Kenya before they fell to Cote d'Ivoire on Sunday.

Uganda, on the other hand, have showed tremendous character fighting tooth and nail from the jump-ball to the final buzzer in all their games. It's a joy watching a team like Uganda trying to change the narrative of the tournament. 

Although Uganda came up short against South Sudan on Sunday, things aren't so bad. As the team's head coach George Galanopoulos insisted: "This is just part of the learning experience. For them, a young group, averaging 25 years, it's great."

Nigeria v Uganda, Lagos, June 29, 2018

Uganda and Nigeria have faced each other three times over the past six years. 

During Uganda's AfroBasket debut in 2015, Nigeria cruised to a 98-59 win. A few years later, during the FIBA Basketball World Cup African Qualifiers 2019, Nigeria came up victorious in their two meetings in Bamako (102-86) and Lagos (109-66).

What set these two teams apart and what do the numbers show?

Points per game:
Nigeria (73.3) v Uganda (73.7)

Points allowed:
Nigeria (68.3) v Uganda (82.3)

Turn Overs:
Nigeria (14.3) v Uganda (20.7)

Assists:
Nigeria (19) v Uganda (20.3)

Key Player(s):

Ishmail Wainright recorded the first triple-double (22 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists) at AfroBasket 2021. The move translates the importance of the Toronto Raptors' new recruit to the 'Silverbacks' even though a number young talents led by Adam Seiko - a terrific shooter averaging a team-high 15.3 points per game - Arthur Kaluma - an all-around player - and Deng Geu have all uplifted Uganda to another level.

Benjamin Emelogu

Nigeria's Benjamin Emelogu has been a top-notch. For a man who never worn the D'Tigers uniform before to be able to put up his numbers (13 points and five rebounds per game) and being highly solid, Emelogu could become a key factor in this series against Uganda.

SOUTH SUDAN vs KENYA. TUESDAY, AUGUST 31 AT 18 GMT+ 2 

South Sudan are the only debutant team in the tournament, while Kenya have qualified for the Africa's flagship basketball tournament for the first time since 1993.

South Sudan reached this phase of the competition after an off-court win against Cameroon. After conceding a heavy defeat to Senegal, South Sudan retransformed themselves in a matter of two days to beat neighbouring Uganda 88-86 in their Group D's last game. 

The only reason why South Sudan fell short in the FIBA AfroBasket Pre-Qualifiers 2021, and had to try different avenues to reach this tournament, was because they lost to hosts Kenya 74-68 in January 2020 in Nairobi.

Mathiang Mauot Muo is seen in action against Kenya, January 2020, Nairobi, Kenya

South Sudan defeated Somalia, Burundi, Eritrea and Tanzania before losing to Pre-Qualifiers eventual champions Kenya.

So, there is an unfinished business between these two teams.

Kenya reached the Qualification Round for the Quarter-Finals after finishing third in Group C thanks to a 72-66 win over Mali.

What set these two teams apart and what do the numbers show?

NOTE: South Sudan have played only two games unlike Kenya who played three.

Points per game:
South Sudan (81.5) v Kenya (65.7)

Points allowed:
South Sudan (95) v Kenya (75)

Turn Overs:
South Sudan (13.5) v Kenya (22.3)

Assists:
South Sudan (16.5) v Kenya (14)

Key Player(s):

Kenya's Tylor Ongwae has been the engine to this Kenya team. He has averaged team-highs 15 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.3 assists in three games.

Tylor Ongwae

The 2.00m (6ft 7in) forward has been so impactful for Kenya that he established a tournament record for the highest minutes played (38:57) in a 40-minute game during the must-win clash against Mali. Only Cape Verde's Walter Tavares spent more time (41 minutes) on the floor when his team beat Angola in overtime.  

But, Ongwae isn't the only making wakes for Team Morans. Albert Odero and Ronald Gombe have been sensational for Kenya. 

Four players have been crucial for South Sudan so far. Teny Puot, Deng Acuoth, Mathiang Muo and youngster Dhieu Deing, who turned 20 on Saturday, August 28th.

FIBA