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08 - 16
July 2023
47 Aloisio Andrade (ANG), 40 Miguel Mbala André Maconda (ANG), 37 Bamba Joao Cisse (ANG), 24 Glofate Buiamba (ANG), 19 Keneth Fernando Gouveia Manuel (ANG), 16 Wilson Cassav (ANG), 15 Walter Luzolo (ANG), 13 Braz Macachi (ANG), 11 Geovanne Kibinga (ANG), 8 Tarcio Deniro Fernandes Domingos (ANG), 7 Keven Albino (ANG), 2 Emanuel Sebastiao (ANG)
13/07/2023
Preview
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PREVIEW - It's Quarter-Finals Day at 2023 FIBA AfroCan

 

LUANDA (Luanda) - With four teams gone, eight teams remain in the hunt for the 2023 FIBA AfroCan title, but before the Championship Game arrives on Sunday, four mouth-watering Quarter-Finals games are scheduled for Thursday, July 13 at Kilamba Arenal in Luanda.

Two out of the four pairings show teams that have faced off before in the history of the FIBA AfroCan while the other two will clash for the first time for the right to advance to the Semi-Finals. 

ALL GAMES WILL BE AVAILABLE ON THE FIBA'S YOUTUBE CHANEL

Find below the 2023 FIBA AfroCan' Quarter-Finals schedule

KENYA v MOROCCO (10:30 local time, GMT+1)

Both Kenya (1-1) and Morocco (2-1) have tasted defeat during the Group Phase. Now, there is no room for errors, making this a must-win clash for either team.

Interestingly enough, Kenya and Morocco have faced off before.

Kenya outclassed Morocco in the Semi-Finals of the 2019 AfroCan

Four years ago, Kenyan Morans trounced Morocco 96-66 in the Semi-Finals of the 2019 AfroCan in Bamako, Mali.

Kenya's newest kid on the block Derrick Ogechi has been phenomenal, averaging 17.5 points per game, and he is expected to be go-to man for the East Africans who keep their eyes on the Championship Game on Sunday, July.

But Morocco count on their own dependable man. Kevin Franchesci leads Morocco in scoring with an average of 14 points per game, and - alongside Mohamed Choua - is the man, Kenya should try to neutralise.

The winner of this match-up will take on the winner of the game between DR Congo and Nigeria in Friday's Semi-Finals. 

DR CONGO v NIGERIA (13:00 local time, GMT+1)

Two games into the tournament, and the reigning champions DR Congo continue to live up to expectations after beating Cameroon and Mozambique in the Group Phase.

Nigeria, on the other hand, have shown more clarity in their Classification Round to the Quarter-Finals' win over Mali.

DR Congo proved too much for Nigeria in Bamako four years ago

The DR Congo are headed to the Quarter-Finals as the only team that has never lost a FIBA AfroCan game.

Since the inception of the tournament four years ago, the Congolese hold a 7-0 record. 

And Nigeria come as a familiar opponent for the Congolese. When the two sides met during the inaugural AfroCan in Bamako, DR Congo outplayed Nigeria 81-55 in the Group Phase.

The inevitable question now is, Can Nigeria halt DR Congo's unbeaten run? 

The answer is Nigeria would need to come up with an extraordinary game-plan to derail a team that currently averages a tournament-high 73.5 points per game. 

And to try and prevent Evariste Shonganya and Rolly Fula - DR Congo's leading scorers - from running the show, must be Nigeria's number one priority. 

The winner of this match-up will take on the winner of the game between Kenya and Morocco DR in Friday's Semi-Finals. 

TUNISIA v COTE D'IVOIRE (15:00 local time, GMT+1)

If Tunisia's first two wins in the Group Phase against Morocco and Rwanda are anything to go by, they might have a foot in the Semi-Finals.

The Tunisians are headed to the Quarter-Finals with the highest field-goal percentage (52.6) - the only team to score more than half of their shots - ahead of DR Congo (44.9 percent) and Morocco (43.5 percent).

Ulrich Mohamed Kra is seen in action against Mali on July 12, Luanda

Unlike Cote d'Ivoire who reached the Last Eight after beating Mali in the Classification Round on Wednesday, Tunisia have enjoyed a three-day rest. 

But, what the Ivorians have shown so far is that they can't be underestimated. Cote d'Ivoire are headed to the Last Eight after winning their last two games, a huge morale booster.

The winner of this encounter will square off against the winner of the game between Angola and Rwanda  in Friday's Semi-Finals. 

ANGOLA v RWANDA (18:00 local time, GMT+1)

Angola fans attending games at Kilamba Arena have played a huge part in the team's two victories, but the hosts are yet to reach their full potential. 

The Angolans are 2-0, while AfroCan debutant Rwanda bounced back from two straight losses with a massive win over Mozambique to keep their title aspirations alive.

Can Rwanda cause an upset? Time will tell.

The winner of this Quarter-Finals pairing take on the winner of the game between Tunisia and Cote d'Ivoire in Friday's Semi-Finals. 

FIBA