Power Rankings: Race to FIBA AfroBasket 2021 is hotting up

ALEXANDRIA/KIGALI (FIBA AfroBasket 2021 Qualifiers) - In the build-up to the First Round of Groups A, B, D and E of the FIBA AfroBasket Qualifiers 2021, FIBA writer Julio Chitunda breaks and ranks the 16 teams.

This power ranking focus on the second window of the Qualifiers, taking place from November 25-29 where teams open their quest for a place in the Final Round next year.

It tips-off Wednesday in Kigali, Rwanda, while Group E gets underway in Alexandria, Egypt, Friday.

At this stage, Group C's Cote d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Guinea aren't included in this power ranking, but will be added in the third window of the Qualifiers in February when all twenty teams have played their First Round.

RANK	NATION
1		The reigning African champions Tunisia have made consistency a valuable weapon over the past few years. And although Tunisia added a few new faces, including head coach Dirk Bauermann, they rank top of this power ranking because of the depth and experience of the team. Key players such as Makram Ben Romdhane, Radhouane Slimane, Mohamed Hadidane and sharpshooter Mourad El Mabrouk have been playing together for over a decade. The quartet proved crucial for the Tunisian roster that lifted their first-ever FIBA AfroBasket title back in 2011.
2		No national team on the continent of Africa matches Nigeria's large pool of players competing at the highest level worldwide. The only qualified team for the Tokyo Olympics (so far) may not count on the majority of the roster that featured at last year's FIBA Basketball World Cup, but newly-appointed head coach Mike Brown surely will have enough weapons to build a winning team for the three-day event in Kigali.
3		Two factors have contributed for this Egyptian team to become a legitimate favourite in this Qualifiers campaign: 1 - Egypt have been preparing for their Group E for over a month with a number of players who reached the Semi-Finals in Egypt's SuperLeague. So, fitness and team chemistry shouldn't be an issue. 2- Home court advantage. Even though games in Alexandria will be played behind closed doors, the 'Pharaohs' will look to bounce back from a disappointing 1-2 mark from the FIBA Basketball World Cup African Qualifiers 2019 window played in Cairo when they fell to Angola and DR Congo.
4		With a trio of team leaders Maurice Ndour, Youssoupha Ndoye and playmaker Clevin Hannah, the Senegalese appear to be in a safe territory. Physically gifted, and desperate to win their first continental trophy since 1997, a good start in their quest for a place at next year's AfroBasket is a must-do requirement for them. And holding a 3-0 head-to-head advantage over continental rivals and Group B opponents Angola dating back to the 2011 African Championship comes as an huge morale booster.
5		Imagine a team that combines a few good veterans and a number of upcoming stars like Childe Dundao and Cristiano Xavier. Add to the equation Jose Neto, an experienced head coach who made his name in his native Brazil and South America, and you'll probably find a decent team capable of competing. Whether advanced age will be a factor to Angola, that's something that time will tell us by the end of the week.
6		Why is Mali ranked this high? It's a legitimate question for a team that rarely moves beyond the Quarter-Finals of AfroBasket.But the answer is the rebuilding process that this team is undergoing, and it is looking good. There's a lot of newcomers in this Mali roster prepared to draw a new chapter in the country's recent basketball history.
7		Here's a team that is capable of giving top teams some hard time, but at the same time, can crash against minnow teams. If the Central Africans bring the majority of the team that featured at the FIBA Basketball World Cup African Qualifiers 2019, then it's safe to say that they have real chances in Group A, which includes Tunisia, DR Congo and Madagascar.
8		Winners of the inaugural FIBA AfroCan 2019 - a national team competition for home-based players - the Congolese can wreck havoc in Group A. This is a team to look out for in the years to come, and the FIBA AfroBasket Qualifiers couldn't come at the right time to show us how good they are.
9		Cape Verde may not be a household name in the African basketball landscape, but their desperation to become one can't be denied. Cape Verde did everything in their power and continue to do so to be in the position they are now. Back in January, Cape Verde beat hosts Algeria in Game 2 of a two-game playoff in the preliminary round of the AfroBasket Qualifiers, but fell short on aggregate. When the opportunity to play at last month's Invitational tournament in Yaounde came, the islanders rolled up their sleeves, beating Chad and South Sudan to secure their place in Group E against Egypt, Morocco and Uganda.
10		As a country, the Rwandans are happy to host the First-Round of Groups A, B and D of the Qualifiers. Let's not forget the level of the team's confidence. Beating Mozambique by expressive numbers in a warm-up game earlier this week translates the Rwandan's determination to do well at home, it doesn't matter if they are facing Group D' favourite and continental powerhouse Nigeria, Mali and South Sudan.
11		Two consecutive FIBA AfroBasket appearances in the last editions of the tournament says it all about Uganda's determination to remain among the continents' elite basketball. Can they beat Cape Verde, Egypt and Morocco in Group E? It's a million dollar question.
12		Morocco head to the First Round of Group E with a relatively new team. It remains to be seen if the likes of Abderrahim Najah, Abdelhakim Zouita, Zakaria El Mashbahi will return at some point in the Qualifiers. As it is now, Morocco's Qualifiers campaign raises more questions than answers, although the likes of Mohamed Choua, Abdelali Larichi and Soufiane Kourodu can carry the team. Facing Group E's favourite Egypt won't be nothing new. Let's not forget that Morocco upset Egypt en route to FIBA AfroBasket 2017 Semi-Finals.
13		Runners-up at last year's FIBA AfroCan, Kenya head to Kigali aiming to cause some damages in Group B, no matter if they go up against former African champions Angola and Senegal. If their recent speeches about the Qualifiers are anything to go by, then, get ready for Group B's battle.
14		Can South Sudan's physicality prove a challenge for their Group D's opponents? Physical aspect aside, shooting guard Teny Bak Puot is one of the players to watch out in this Qualifiers. Give Puot some space beyond the arc, and opponents are likely to pay for it given his three-point prowess. Interestingly enough, South Sudan becomes the third team - after Nigeria and Senegal - to be coached by an NBA-experienced man as former NBA All-Star Luol Deng takes the reigns of the team.
15		After weeks away from the team's preparations, Pio Matos a couple of weeks ago finally joined the team, given the Southern Africans a major boost offensively. However, Mozambique's 96-65 defeat to hosts Rwanda earlier this week, leaves some unanswered questions.
16		Madagascar can't solely be be judged by their small line-up. The Malagasy reached the Qualifiers after a beating FIBA Africa Zone 6's Zimbabwe and Zambia. And if we consider how much progress local clubs - which provide the core of the national team - have done at continental level, then Madagascar can't be overlooked.