Group A - Introduction and reactions to the draw

ABIDJAN (Cote d’Ivoire) – After Cape Verde, Côte d'Ivoire, DR Congo and Rwanda were drawn in Group A of the 2025 AfroBasket, the first thing that came to the minds of die-hard African basketball fans was a sense of dejavu.

In this article, we look at the historic clash between the four teams and bring you some insightful facts about Group A.

Where do Group A teams rank?

Côte d'Ivoire, who won Group D of the AfroBasket qualifiers with a flawless 6-0 record, is the highest-ranked team in Group A according to the FIBA Ranking Sponsored by NIKE.

The Ivorians are ranked second in Africa and 31st in the world.

Cape Verde are currently ranked seventh in Africa and 45th in the world.

DR Congo, who won five of their six AfroBasket qualifying games to finish top of Group A ahead of South Sudan, are currently ranked 10th in the continent and 72nd in the world.

Rwanda, who grabbed the last ticket on offer in Group C of the AfroBasket qualifiers with a 2-4 record, are ranked 15th in Africa and 93rd in the world.

Head-to-head results between Group A teams over the past decade:

Over the past decade, Cape Verde, Côte d'Ivoire, DR Congo, and Rwanda have faced each other at least once, and here is how it went:

Côte d'Ivoire

Nicknamed "Les Elephants", Côte d'Ivoire has a strong and respectable basketball history in African basketball. They have won two FIBA AfroBasket titles in 1981 and 1985 and have finished as runners-up six times in FIBA Africa's flagship tournament.

Côte d'Ivoire has hosted AfroBasket twice, in 1985 and 2013, finishing first and fourth respectively.

This year's AfroBasket in Angola will be their 25th appearance.

Who are the key players in Côte d'Ivoire?

Judging by their recent performances, it's hard not to mention former San Antonio Spurs player Matt Costello, renowned Solo Diabate and Alexander Antione Poythress.

What are they saying about the 2025 FIBA AfroBasket Draw?

Côte d'Ivoire forward Cedric Bah said: "This is a very competitive and exciting group. Côte d'Ivoire face strong teams with different styles - Cape Verde bring experience and size, DR Congo have physicality and athleticism, and Rwanda are always tough, especially with their improving roster and solid organization."

"We respect all our opponents. Our focus will be on preparing well, playing together as a team and taking it one game at a time. If we stay disciplined and committed, we believe we have a good chance of competing strongly in the group.

Cape Verde

Cape Verde, nicknamed the "Blue Sharks," have also carved out a respectable place in African basketball history since their debut at Afrobasket in 1997, when Senegal hosted the tournament.

After finishing 10th in 2015 and missing the 2017 edition of the tournament, they made it back to the 2021 AfroBasket and made an immediate statement, finishing fourth after an 86-74 loss to Senegal in the third-place game.

A perfect 3-0 record in the first round of the 2025 AfroBasket proved too much for the islanders in the return round as Cape Verde lost all three of their games to finish second in Group B behind eventual winners Libya (4-2).

Who are the key players on the team?

Walter Tavares is probably the best player to come out of Cape Verde in the last decade.

But the country has also produced other talents such as Ivan Almeida and Betinho Gomes, who once represented Portugal at EuroBasket.

Cape Verde's best result at AfroBasket and historic achievement

Against all odds, Cape Verde shocked the African basketball hierarchy in 2007, finishing third after beating then favorites Egypt 53-51 in the third-place game in Luanda, Angola.

Cape Verde's greatest achievement came in 2023, when they became the smallest country ever to qualify for a FIBA Basketball World Cup tournament.

What are Cape Verdeans saying about Group A's Draw?

"It is definitely an interesting draw for Cabo Verde in the 2025 AfroBasket. Being in the same group with Côte d'Ivoire, Rwanda and DR Congo is a challenge. Côte d'Ivoire is a strong team with a good pedigree in African basketball. Rwanda has been improving steadily and can be a tough opponent. DR Congo has talented players and can be unpredictable. As for Cabo Verde's chances, I think it will depend on a few factors: the team's preparation and the availability of key players. It's a competitive group, but Cabo Verde have shown in the past that they can compete with strong teams. - Ivan Almeida

DR Congo

The history of the "Leopards" in AfroBasket dates back to 1974 when they made their first appearance in the tournament.

DR Congo has had varying levels of success, including a fourth place finish in 1974 and reaching the quarterfinals in 2017.

The team has also experienced periods of absence from the tournament, returning in 2007 after a 27-year absence.

In 2019, DR Congo won the inaugural edition of FIBA AfroCan, a continental competition for African-based players.

In the run-up to AfroBasket 2025, DR Congo stunned Bright Stars of South Sudan in the qualifiers to top their group with a 5-1 record.

With an array of talented players at home and abroad, DR Congo is a team to watch.

Three years ago, Golden State Warriors' Jonathan Kuminga made his debut for the Leopards during the 2023 FIBA Basketball Africa Qualifiers.

Among the key players who played for DR Congo during the recent AfroBasket qualifiers are Jordan Sakho, Rolly Fula Nganga, Yannick Nzosa and Christian Lutete IV.

2025 AfroBasket Draw's reaction

Rolly Fula: "It is certain that at this level of the competition, all the teams and all the games are to be taken seriously and we are in the same group with the Ivory Coast, which today is among the nations that occupy the first two places in Africa, Cape Verde and Rwanda. We know very well what our beautiful and dear country, the Democratic Republic of Congo, knows how to defend.

"We will take advantage of every training session during our preparation in July with the technical staff who never stop working day and night, finally that we can have a good alchemy between us and to be ready to come with all humility, while respecting our opponents during the competition in Angola; to win game after game, finally to go as far as possible in this competition, because AfroBasket 2025 is bigger than any other great party that comes back to us after four years to celebrate basketball in Africa".

Rwanda

Rwanda's history in FIBA AfroBasket dates back to their debut in 2007 and they have been a consistent participant in the tournament ever since, with a notable exception in 2015.

Recently, Rwanda has also seen the emergence of promising young players like Jean Jacques Nshobozwabyosenumukiza.

In the 2021 AfroBasket Qualifiers, Nshobozwabyosenumukiza set a FIBA Africa record for most steals (14) in a single game.

Rwanda has consistently qualified for AfroBasket, participating in both the 2021 edition and the 2025 qualifiers, demonstrating their commitment to the development of their national team.

Key players: Alex Mpoyo, Jean Jacques Nshobozwabyosenumukiza.

Best result in AfroBasket: Rwanda had their best performance in 2009 when Libya hosted. They finished 9^th place.

Rwanda's thoughts on the 2025 AfroBasket Draw: “Rwanda's thoughts on the 2025 AfroBasket draw: "Group A is undoubtedly tough, in my opinion one of the toughest groups. But our mindset doesn't change. The goal is always to win, so we will be focused and ready to take on this challenge. - Alex Mpoyo.

FIBA