DOUALA (Cameroon) - Gabon secured the first qualifying spot for the 2027 FIBA AfroCan by beating the Republic of the Congo 86–58 in Douala, Cameroon.
The Congolese put up some resistance for 1.5 minutes, leading 4-2, before Gabon took control of the one-sided affair.
This was Gabon's second consecutive victory in the three-team FIBA Africa Zone 4 qualifier, after beating hosts Cameroon 24 hours earlier.
Dolivitch Moupomo led Gabon with 18 points, 15 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks, while his teammate Adonis Abessolo punished the Congolese defence with lethal three-point shooting, scoring 20 points.
Elysé Makambo also made a crucial contribution off the bench, scoring 12 points for the winners.
Substitute Joel Kodi was one of two Congolese players to score in double digits, leading his team with 19 points, while Edlain Kurthy Elenga added another 12 points off the bench for the Red Devils of Congo.
Congo, coached by former Angolan international Jorge Tati, will face Cameroon in the final game of the regional qualifier on Monday.
Gabon's win means they have joined a quartet of teams who have automatically qualified for next year's AfroCan by reaching the semi-finals of the 2023 tournament. The other teams are the reigning champions Morocco, Côte d'Ivoire, DR Congo and Rwanda.
FIBA