ANTANANARIVO (Madagascar) - The island nation of Madagascar were last year thrust onto the global basketball stage by their U18 men's team.

As hosts of the 2022 FIBA U18 African Championship, the Malagasy were the surprise of the tournament by making it to the Final.

Despite the disappointment of losing to Egypt in that last game, the feat guaranteed Madagascar a first-time appearance at the 2023 FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup in Debrecen, Hungary.

'' WE ARE NOW SEEN AS ROLE MODELS. WE OFFER ADVICE TO YOUNGER PLAYERS AND SHARE OUR EXPERIENCES. WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS SEEN AS A DIFFERENT LIGHT."- Lovasoa Andriatsarafa

The World Cup, a first for Madagascar at any level, will be a chance for players like team captain Lovasoa Andriatsarafara to further showcase their talents on the grand stage.

Known as "Lova" in his home country, the forward, whose mother and elder brother's influence played a role in him taking up basketball, knows that a difficult task lies ahead in Eastern Europe.

Andriatsarafara touched a bit on the role family played in his journey.

"I started playing the game when I was eight. I fell in love with basketball because of my mother and big brother. They are my role models," said Andriatsarafara in an interview with FIBA.basketball.

Madagascar stunned title contender Mali 84-81 in the Semi-Finals to qualify for their first-ever FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup

From there, the 19-year-old grew in the game and became a leader.

Andriatsarafara, who led the Malagasy to that magical continental final run last year, says they surprised themselves at the tournament.

"Before us, other under-18 teams tried but did not get far. The best we did was a Quarter-Final in 2014 when we hosted it. We were amazed, and it was a big thing for our country," said Andriatsarafara, who scored 14 points in that Final loss to Egypt last year.

"There was a lot of pressure because we were the hosts. We were also excited because the fans always came in their numbers. Unfortunately, we lost in the final. I think we were low on energy because we played many games. So, it was tough against Egypt."

That loss in the Final to the North Africans, who also qualified for the World Cup, is a thing of the past.

The Malagasy players are focusing on one of the most momentous events of their young careers.

Madagascar finished with a 4-2 - their best record in the history of the FIBA U18 African Championship 

When they head to Europe, Madagascar, who are in Group B of the FIBA World Cup, face a mammoth task.

In their group, the islanders will battle it out against eight-time champions and basketball giants the USA, Slovenia and Lebanon.

Andriatsarafara says a lot of focus in Madagascar is on the opening game against USA.

"There is a lot of pressure because of who is in our group. We have the USA as our opening game, and everybody is waiting to see what we will do in that game," said Andriatsarafara, who currently plays for the New York-based College of Redemption Christian Academy.

"I play in the US, so I know what the standard is over there. They are the tournament favorites. While that is the case, there is excitement here at home and a little bit of pressure too.

"I have also watched Slovenia and Lebanon play, I think we can beat them, but we have to play the right way. We have to share the ball and stick to our style. We also had a camp in France in April, and the exposure we got there will help us when we face a team like Slovenia."

Lovasoa Andriatsarafara is seen in action against Guinea

They face a tall order in Hungary, but Andriatsarafara and his teammates are trailblazers in their country for what they achieved. He also feels they have set a template for future generations.

"We are now seen as role models. We offer advice to younger players and share our experiences because what we have done basketball is seen in a different light," concluded Andriatsrafara.

FIBA