KIGALI (Rwanda)/ALEXANDRIA (Egypt)/ABIDJAN (Cote d'Ivoire) - The first three days in July will decide which 12 nations keep alive their dreams of reaching the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 and reach the Second Round of the African Qualifiers. Here are five must-watch games in the up-coming window.

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July 1, 2022 - Group C - Central African Republic vs Guinea

 
A spot in the Second Round is essentially at stake on Day 1 in Cote d'Ivoire in Group C as Central African Republic (CAF) face off with Guinea. Central African Republic are winless and Guinea have a 76-71 victory over CAF to show from their three games thus far. With both teams still having to face Cote d'Ivoire and Angola in the window, this game most likely will decide who stays alive for a spot in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023. CAF know they can beat Guinea after having knocked them off 61-60 in the Group Stage at the 2021 FIBA AfroBasket. Guinea for their part know they could probably afford a four-point loss and still advance. But Zeljko Zecevic's team also knows its win-loss record from the First Round will also carry over to the Second Round and do not want just one win heading into the second group phase.

July 1, 2022 - Group C - Angola vs Cote d'Ivoire

 
Angola will be out to even the score in the final game of opening day in Group C as they take on Cote d'Ivoire, who are undefeated at 3-0 and Angola at 2-1. Angola raced away to a 17-point lead on Cote d'Ivoire in the first window but then collapsed and ended up losing 57-56 in front of their home fans in Benguela. This time around, it's Cote d'Ivoire who are hosting the window and Angola coach Jose Claros Canals will not need to give his men much extra motivation. Any Angola victory would essentially give them first place in the group and a leg up in the Second Round. Cote d'Ivoire for their part will be out to show their strong run - including reaching the 2011 FIBA AfroBasket Final - is for real and they are back for good.

July 2, 2022 - Group A - Mali vs Nigeria

 
Mali first must be careful to not look past Uganda in their opening Group A game in the window in Rwanda as they look for revenge against Nigeria in the second game. Both teams enter the window at 2-1 though Boubacar Kanoute's Mali side will be disappointed they couldn't put away Nigeria in the first window, when they wasted a 12-point early third quarter lead in losing 72-70. Mali will be looking to finally break through this time around, after previously losing to Nigeria 81-73 at 2021 FIBA AfroBasket as well as twice in the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup African Qualifiers - 82-59 and 93-53 in 2018.

July 2, 2022 - Group B - South Sudan vs Tunisia

 
Depending on what happens on Day 1 of the window - South Sudan face hosts Rwanda and Tunisia take on Cameron - the second South Sudan -Tunisia match-up could decide the Group B winners. It will definitely be an intriguing showdown between the reigning African champions Tunisia (2-1 coming into the window) and the up-and-coming power from South Sudan (3-0 from first window). Tunisia were too much for the young nation at 2021 FIBA AfroBasket, where they won 80-65 in the Quarter-Finals en route to the title. South Sudan, however, showed how much they had grown up and matured in the February window, taking control in the second quarter and fending off one comeback to win 72-64. But the Tunisians will be ready and hungry to regain supremacy. Can South Sudan continue their fairytale run?

July 3, 2022 - Group D - Congo DR vs Egypt

 
Both teams enter the window at 2-1 and in a three-way tie in Group D with Senegal. The Congo DR vs Egypt game will be the last game in the group and both teams could already be locked into the Second Round if they both beat Kenya. And depending on results from the first two days of the window, Congo DR, Egypt and Senegal can still be deadlocked on record after the last game - meaning the final order in the standings will be decided by tiebreakers. And Egypt know they have a 62-51 victory over Congo DR from the first window.

FIBA