ALEXANDRIA (Egypt) - Egypt clinched the third of five tickets for African teams for the 2023 FIBA Basketball World  after beating reigning African champions Tunisia 71-67 on Friday in Alexandria.

The win marks Egypt's returns to the FIBA Basketball World Cup for the first time since 2014. 

Ehab Amin Saleh sparked Egypt's offense with a game-high of 23 points, Anas Mahmoud contributed12 points and 12 rebounds while Tunisia captain Makram Ben Romdhane finished with a team-high 22 points. Omar Abada and Michael contributed 19 points apiece in the losing cause.

With the win, Egypt qualified to the World Cup with an 8-2 mark with two games left in the African Qualifiers.

Ehab Amin inspired Egypt in the crucial win over Tunisia

With Group F's two automatic tickets for the World Cup secured by South Sudan and Egypt, Tunisia who dropped their fifth defeat in ten games, remained defiant. "We still have a chance," said Abada.

TURNING POINT: Tunisia led Egypt by 6 (12-6) in the opening quarter, but Egypt regained control to lead by as many as 19 points in the third quarter. Somehow, when things looked done and dusted, Egypt's bench was accessed a technical foul, which brought the score 69-67 with eight seconds left.  

Egypt coach Roy Rana called a timeout, and with both teams on fouls limit, Amr Abdelhalim - one of the two Egyptian players alongside Youssef Aboushousha - who featured at the 2014 World Cup in Spain, calmly sank his two free-throws, which defined the score 71-67.

GAME HERO: On the day that Assem Marei had a modest, Ehab Amin took the leading role. pacing the Pharaohs with 23 points on a 8-for-16 shooting.

STATS DON'T LIE: A quick look into the stats, and the way Egypt dominated the painted speaks volumes: 50 rebounds - including 22 offensive rebounds - against Tunisia's 32 rebounds. But one of the compromising moments for Tunisia was their poor free-throw shooting (10 for 18).

Tunisia captain Makram Ben Romdhane finished with a team-high of 22 points and 12 rebounds

BOTTOM LINE: Egypt stepped on the knowing that they should never underestimate the heart of reigning champions. Two years ago, Egypt led Tunisia by as many as 19 points during an AfroBasket Group Phase game, but somehow, Tunisia rallied to win that game, before reaching the final to win their third African Championship. With all that in mind, Egypt looked confident but cautious. 

At the end of the clash, Egypt looked more desperate to win the game, committed fewer errors, and deservedly celebrated their return to the World Cup 

THEY SAID: "When we first started, few people believed in us, my players always believed, and here we are," - Egypt head coach Roy Rana.

FIBA