DAR ES SALAAM (Tanzania) – The National Indoor Stadium in Dar Es Salaam will hustle and bustle with the activity from the FIBA AfroCan 2023 Zone 5 Qualifiers.

Five teams will battle for that one ticket that will see them head to Luanda, Angola, between July 8 and 16, for the Final Phase of the quadrennial tournament.

After months of preparation and anticipation, the time has come for Burundi, Eritrea, Rwanda, South Sudan and Tanzania to show that they deserve a spot at the high table.

The FIBA Africa Zone 5 qualifier will run from Saturday June 17 to Friday June 23, with a rest day scheduled on the June 22.

What is at stake? So much for the qualifying country, who will join the likes of DR Congo, Kenya, Angola, Mozambique, Morocco and Cameroon in July.

The winner of the Zone 5 Qualifiers will be added to Group C, alongside Morocco and the winner of Zone 1 qualifier billed for next week in Algiers. 

Two countries looking to shine brighter

Two countries, particularly, will aim at stealing the limelight. The first one is South Sudan, the continent’s youngest nation.

Earlier this year, South Sudan claimed a spot at the FIBA World Cup. And the local players would like to prove that this is no fluke and that South Sudan are among the best basketball nations on the continent.

Tanzania, on the other hand, will play with two times the pressure on their shoulders. First, as host country, they are expected to perform.

And second, they will try to do just like their elders, who last qualified for a major continental tournament some 49 years ago.

Mohammed Mbwana, the newly appointed head coach, wants to use the momentum caused by hosting the tournament to his advantage. "Getting a chance to host the AfroCan qualifiers is a huge opportunity, and it's a privilege to have this kind of tournament coming to our country,” he told FIBA.basketball some weeks ago.

Rwanda are also a team to look out for. Teams from the Western African nation regularly rub shoulders with other African teams and can be considered as dangerous.

The squad comprises of some of their major players, such as the veteran shooting guard and captain Kenny Gasana. At the helm of the team is Senegal's Cheik Sarr, who is on a mission.

As for Burundi and Eritrea, they are yet to appear at a continental showdown, being currently on a learning curve.

The first game of the day will see Burundi and South Sudan match up before ahead of the battle between hosts Tanzania and Eritrea. All the games will be played at the Indoor National Stadium in Dar Es Salaam.  

FIBA