RADES (FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 African Qualifiers) - Tunisians are deservedly celebrating their qualification for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 in China.

Exactly a year after beating Nigeria in the FIBA AfroBasket Final (September 16, 2017), Tunisians from all walks of life celebrated not only at Salle Multidisciplinaire de Rades but also on social media platforms after they beat Angola 84-64 in the last day of the first leg of Group E' of the World Cup Qualifiers.

It's Tunisia's first World Cup qualification since 2010, and they are already setting new goals as explained by Mourad El Mabrouk and Michael Roll. 

 El Mabrouk - a lethal three-point shooter - said that even though they secured their qualification the day before with a win over Egypt, they wanted to be the best team in Africa.

"Since we started our time with coach Palma, our main goal - after we won the FIBA AfroBasket 2017 - was the Olympics. In order to make it to the Olympics, we want to be the best in Africa," said the man who hit four of his ten three-point attempts to finish with  18 points against Angola.  

He explained that they have worked really hard - more than sixty days - to be in the position they are now.

"We deserve to go to China, and we are going to work even harder to go to the Olympics," El Mabrouk explained.

Shooting guard Michael Roll followed suit, adding: "Even though we were already qualified, we did it for the pride. It was great to see what we were capable of."

"We played great defense [knowing] that they are a talented scoring team; we really focused on that, they like to get on runs; we limited their chances. Because our defense was so good, and we got really good shots on the offensive end, it was a great team win."

Tunisia register a 9-0 mark before they resume their World Cup Qualifiers in November. 

FIBA