Algeria's win over Tunisia not enough to qualify for the 2023 AfroCan
After losing 49-42 in the first of two games on Friday, Algeria stepped on the floor on Sunday with their backs against the wall, and beating Tunisia was a must-do task, which they eventually did.
ALGIERS (Algeria) - Algeria needed to beat Tunisia by eight points or more to secure Africa's Zone 1 solo ticket for the 2023 FIBA AfroCan, but they came up just short of their target.
After losing 49-42 in the first of two games on Friday, Algeria stepped on the floor on Sunday with their backs against the wall, and beating Tunisia was a must-do task, which they eventually did.
But the 70-68 victory was not good enough to help Algeria secure the only ticket on offer for the region for the 12-nation tournament to be held in Angola from July 8-16.
Conceding a second straight defeat to neighbouring Tunisia in front of their home fans was never an option for Algerian.
They did everything right to give themselves a chance, however, Friday's seven-point defeat turned out costly for a team that desperately needed to return to the AfroCan for the second time in a row.
And despite trailing 18-16 at the end of the opening quarter, Algeria turned things around to take a 34-33 half-time lead.
Algeria even out-scored Tunisia 20-18 in the final quarter, but that the regional AfroCan ticket went to Tunisia.
The match-up was so evenly-matched that it could have gone either way, and despite the two-point loss, Tunisia closed the two-game series with a 117-112 win on aggregate.
With the win Tunisia are added to Group C of the 2023 AfroCan alongside Morocco and Africa Zone 5's winners Rwanda.
Algeria's 70-68 win over Tunisia was a reflection of these two teams' growing rivalry. When the two sides faced off at 2019 AfroCan, Tunisia prevailed 68-67.
FIBA