ABIDJAN (Cote d’Ivoire) – Two games are all it takes for either hosts Cote d'Ivoire or Guinea to qualify for the 2023 FIBA Women's AfroBasket. 

The regional Qualifier between a representative from FIBA Africa Zone 2 (Guinea) and Zone 3 (Cote d'Ivoire) will take place at Palais des Sports de Treichville in Abidjan from Friday, June 30 and July 2. 

The winner of the two-game series will advance to the Final Round, joining hosts Rwanda and Angola in Group A. 

Day 1 game will see Cote d’Ivoire take on Guinea at the Palais des Sports de Treichville with everything at stake to play for.

Cote d'ivoire team during last Women's AfroBasket in Cameroon

Cote d’Ivoire is still smarting from the conclusion of their league and the players are in game mode for more action in an attempt to make a 15th appearance at FIBA Africa's flagship women's tournament.

Cote d’Ivoire have never reached the podium places of the Women's AfroBasket. The closest they got to the the top-three places was the Semi-Finals in 1977 and the 2009 edition held in Madagascar, where they finished fourth. 

New Head Coach of Cote d’Ivoire, Zoran Visic is eager to make an impact with the team and is leaving no stone unturned to achieve his goals.

The Serbian will be assisted by Joskan Agrikola from CSA Treichville in Cote d'Ivoire and Krissy Bade, a former French international of Ivorian origin who has agreed to share her experience with Cote d'Ivoire.

Cote d'Ivoire trounced Guinea 81-50 in the Classification Round to the Quarter-Finals at 2021 Women's AfroBasket in Yaounde 

In the Qualifiers, they seek to get the ticket to represent the Zone and will have to do so at the expense of Guinea that finished 12th place in the last championship in Cameroon.

Though, Guinea had won a silver medal at the inaugural edition of the Women's AfroBasket way back in 1966, they are in Abidjan to seek a return to the championship and will give cote d’Ivoire a run for their money.

Coach Ousmane Camara has the task of shaking off Cote d’Ivoire in the race for only ticket.

Camara was reappointed as head of the Guinean women's national team. He will be assisted by Abdoulaye Barry.

The women's AfroBasket is scheduled from July 28 to August 6 in Kigali (Rwanda). 

Games schedule: 

June 30, 2023: CIV # GUI

July 02, 2023: GUI # CIV

FIBA