LEEDS (Julio Chitunda's African Message) - It's not over until it's over. That's what the third window of the FIBA Basketball World Cup African Qualifiers is all a bout. 

Cote d'Ivoire and South Sudan are headed to the upcoming window 3 of the 2023 African Qualifiers (July 1-3) as the only undefeated teams at 3-0 each, but they know they shouldn't rest on their laurels. Recent history has shown that things can change in a blink of an eye.

South Sudan Coach Luol Deng warned, after guiding his country to wins over Cameroon, Rwanda and Tunisia four months ago in Dakar, that preparedness is key to stay in contention in the African Qualifiers. 

"We are 3-0, but we can't get carried away with that. We're going to come with our best effort. We are going to prepare and get better. We haven't done nothing. We can easily be 3-3 if we don't come prepared," the former NBA All Star noted.

 
The Ivorians know better than most teams how perseverance matters in the race for one of the five tickets on available for African teams for next year' FIBA Basketball World Cup.

Four years ago, Cote d'Ivoire headed to Window 3 with a 1-2 mark.

But, the former African champions never gave up and won one more game to advance to the Second Round with a 2-4 mark.

And in a turn of events, Cote d'Ivoire won 5-of-6 games in the Second Round, which included a resounding 72-46 victory over Nigeria in Abidjan. What seemed unlikely ahead of Window 3, turned out a real comeback.

Three teams finished the 2019 edition of the African Qualifiers with a 7-5 mark (Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire and Egypt), but the Ivorians clinched the last spot for the 2019 China showdown thanks to a higher point-differential.

This time around, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Guinea and Uganda are in similar situation Cote d'Ivoire were in June 2018, and to fight for a place in the upcoming multi-country 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup Cameroonians, Cape Verdeans, Guineans and Ugandans have to believe that the race for Indonesia, Japan and Philippines is not over until it's over. 

The Ivorians encapsulated a tremendous combative spirit, which, in all fairness, not only earned them a place in China 2019, but it has also paved the way for the high position they currently are in the African basketball ranks.  

Points accumulated in the First Round are carried to the Second Round, and that can make a tremendous difference in the African Qualifiers.

In 2019 Tunisia and Nigeria made the most of their undefeated records (6-0) in the First Round to reach the Final Window of the African Qualifiers with comfortable 9-0 records and their places in the World Cup already assured even before the end of the African Qualifiers.

The winners of Groups A, B, C and D ended up qualifying for China. Can this be repeated this time around? It's hard to stay for sure. 

Nigeria and Mali currently share top of Group A with a 2-1 each. DR Congo, Egypt and Senegal, all share a 2-1 mark ahead of July's window of the African Qualifiers. 

The race for the next World Cup is wide open. 

In the opposite spectre of the standings, Central African Republic, Kenya and Rwanda, are all 0-3, but is it over for them? No, it's not, but the trio face uphill tasks to reenter the race for a place in the World Cup.  

Julio Chitunda
FIBA

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