MVP Franceschi headlines the 2023 FIBA AfroCan All-Tournament Team
Just weeks after winning the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the 2022-23 Moroccan League regular season, Kevin Franceschi was named the 2023 FIBA AfroCan MVP as he helped Morocco clinch the trophy.
LUANDA (Angola) - Just a few weeks after winning the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the 2022-23 Moroccan League regular season, Kevin Franceschi was named the 2023 FIBA AfroCan MVP as he helped Morocco clinch their first continental since 1965.
The 29-year-old shooting guard played a major in helping Morocco conquer the quadrennial competition in the Angolan capital Luanda.
Kevin Franceschi
The FUS Rabat guard made his presence felt in Morocco's rotation, averaging team-highs 12.8 points and three assists per game while playing 32.4 minutes per game.
In Sunday's AfroCan title decider, Franceschi was 4-for-9 from the floor to finish with 14 points as Morocco beat Cote d'Ivoire 78-76 to reach the top of the podium of an African competition in over five decades.
He was joined the 2023 FIBA AfroCan All-Tournament team by fellow Moroccan Jihad Benchlikha, Dieudonne Ndizeye (Rwanda), Evariste Shoganya (RD Congo) and Mike Fofana (Cote d'Ivoire).
JIHAD BENCHLIKHA
Jihad Benchlikha
Benchlikha, who contributed 8 points in the Final, was one of the reasons Morocco rose to the occasion, especially after his Semi-Final jaw-dropping performance against then reigning champions RD Congo.
Against the Congolese, the 32-year-old shooting guard was 5 for 10 from beyond the arc to finish with 15 points as Morocco prevailed 76-69.
Overall, the three-point specialist Benchlikha averaged 10.2 points per game as Morocco finished 5-1.
DIEUDONNE NDIZIYE
Ndizeye, a regular member of the Rwandan national team, made sure to leave his mark in the 2023 AfroCan.
Dieudonne Ndizeye
Besides his All-Star team recognition, Ndizeye won the best three-pointer award.
As Rwanda faced an uphill task of beating neighbours DR Congo, the left-handed Ndizeye came up with crucial 22 points, which resulted from his 6-for-11 three-point shooting.
The 27-year-old recorded a team-high 15.7 points per game to help Rwanda finish in the top of continental competition for the first time in their history.
Rwanda finished 3-3.
EVARISTE SHONGANYA
DR Congo may have finished fourth, but Shonganya was one of the top performers in the tournament, and he deservedly ended up being named to the All-Star team.
Evariste Shonganya
A member of the DR Congo 2019 AfroCan winning team, Shonganya finished as the leading scorer of the tournament with an average of 19.8 points per game.
The DR Congo returned home with a 3-2 mark after winning their first three games in the tournament.
MIKE FOFANA
Fofana did everything he could to help Cote d'Ivoire win their first continental trophy since 1985 when the Elephants won the AfroBasket on home soil, but Morocco proved too much in the Final.
Mike Fofana
Fofana came up with 17 points in the Final against Morocco.
He averaged team-highs of 12.7 points and 3 assists per game.
Born in U.S to Ivorian parents, Fofana has recently relocated to Cote d'Ivoire, where he plays for Abidjan Basket Club.
His talent is unquestionable, and with his display at the 2023 FIBA froCan it wouldn't be a surprise if filled in one of Cote d'Ivoire 12 spots for the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup next month.
Cote d'Ivoire concluded their AfroCan campaign as they started, with a loss. After losing to Kenya on opening day, Cote d'Ivoire bounced back with four straight wins before falling to Morocco. Cote d'Ivoire return home with a 4-2 mark.
Other individual awards included:
Fair-Play - Gabon
Top rebounders - Pitchou Manga who averaged 11.6 rebounds per game.
FIBA