24 Karim Mohamed Eldahshan (EGY)
09/10/2017
Julio Chitunda's African Message
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Will Tunisian basketball be number one in Africa if Etoile Sportive de Rades win FIBA African Champions Cup 2017?

SHEFFIELD (Julio Chitunda's African Message) - If Tunisian champions Etoile Sportive de Rades (ESR) win the FIBA Africa Champions Cup (ACC) 2017 in December, we'll officially be witnessing a new era in African basketball history as a whole.

With Tunisia set to reign as FIBA AfroBasket champions until at least 2021, ESR emerge as a continental powerhouse in the making.

Last week, FIBA Africa confirmed ESR as hosts of the annual competition, and from December 8-17, Africa’s 12 top clubs will meet at the emblematic Salle Omnisport de Rades - on the outskirt of Tunis - for the right to be crowned ACC champions.

This year’s ACC matters for a number of reasons, and I will try to explain why in today’s column.

For years, Angolan clubs have dominated FIBA Africa’s most important club competition, winning nine of the last eleven ACC editions.

Angolan clubs Petro de Luanda, Primeiro D’Agosto and Libolo - who mostly provide players to the national team - have won or reached the tournament’s final every year dating back to 1998.

However, with eleven-time Angola struggling in recent editions of FIBA AfroBasket (they finished in seventh-place at FIBA AfroBasket 2017) one can’t help but ask whether or not Angolan clubs remain as dominant.

A year ago, Libolo reached the final in Cairo, but hosts Al Ahly prevailed to become the first Egyptian side to win the ACC trophy for the first time since Al Gezira won it in 1996.

Although Libolo played impressive basketball, Al Ahly - backed by a rowdy and tireless home crowd - proved too much.

Now, ESR feel they can become the first Tunisian side since Etoile Sportive du Sahel (ESS)  won the ACC crown in 2011. At the time, a promising Makram Ben Romdhane led ESS to a shocking triumph over eight-time ACC winners Primeiro D’Agosto in the final in Rabat, Morocco.

Two years ago, ESR stunned D'Agosto in the ACC Group Phase.

ESR are currently coached by Adel Tlatli - a man who who led Tunisia to the FIBA AfroBasket 2011 title and is rated as one of the most skilled coaches in modern African basketball. 

He is joined by shooting Mourad El Mabrouk, point guard Omar Abada and power forward Mohamed Hadidade - a trio who played a major role in Tunisia’s FIBA AfroBasket title last month in Rades.

El Mabrouk and Hadidane were so fundamental in Tunisia's success, that were unsurprisingly named to the All-Tournament team.

So, put together, Tlatli, El Mabrouk, Abada, Hadidane, and a likely tireless home crowd, and we’ve possibly found one of this year’s ACC finalists.

Some might question why would ESR host a major tournament two months after the country co-organised the FIBA AfroBasket 2017.

Well, back in June, a month before Tunisia (along with Senegal) were given two months to host the FIBA AfroBasket 2017,  Tlatli had already expressed his club’s intentions of hosting the tournament.

Meanwhile, over the weekend, Ugandan outfit City Oilers beat Rwandan outfit Patriots to become the second club to qualify to the Final Round. A week earlier, Malagasy ASCUT earned a ticket to the Finals.

Over the next few weeks a number of clubs from across Africa will do battle to qualify for the ACC 2017. 

Julio Chitunda
FIBA

FIBA's columnists write on a wide range of topics relating to basketball that are of interest to them. The opinions they express are their own and in no way reflect those of FIBA.

FIBA takes no responsibility and gives no guarantees, warranties or representations, implied or otherwise, for the content or accuracy of the content and opinion expressed in the above article.

Julio Chitunda

Julio Chitunda

Julio Chitunda, a University of Sheffield alumni and former semi-professional player, has worked for a number of Portuguese media outlets as well as The Press Association and covered international basketball for over a decade. Through his column, he offers an insight into basketball on the world's second biggest continent.