LUANDA (Angola) - By the time the final buzzer sounded at the Kilamba Arena in Luanda, Guinea had written a new chapter in their basketball history.
Their 89-63 victory over Rwanda on Friday secured Guinea's spot in the second round of the 2027 World Cup African Qualifiers and marked their fourth consecutive win in the competition.
Who better than veteran Abdoulaye Sy to help Guinea make history?
Sy, who has played in more national team games than any other current Guinean player, scored the first basket of window three of the qualifiers with a fadeaway, sparking a 7-0 scoring run for Guinea.
This victory is even more special because Guinea has more wins (four) in this campaign than in their previous two African qualifiers, in 2019 and 2023, when they had a 3-15 win-loss record.
"Brotherhood is our strongest asset," said Guinea forward Abdoulaye who has witnessed progress since featuring for his country at the 2017 FIBA AfroBasket.
Rwanda trailed by 15 in the opening quarter, but when Herve Hodari sank their seventh three-pointer in 15 attempts to give them their first lead of the game (37-36), Guinea was forced to call a timeout.
Hodari followed with a two-handed dunk to extend the lead to three (39-36). “That’s how difficult this Rwandan team is to play against,” acknowledged Guinea coach Nedeljko Asceric.
Asceric has been the mastermind behind Guinea’s resurgence in African basketball in recent years.
“To me, the most important thing is to have players with character who can honor the colors of the Guinean flag,” said the Serbian player.
Abdoulaye Sy added that Guinea’s historic run and successful campaign are due to patience, perseverance, and the will to win.
According to FIBA, Guinea ranks 11th in Africa and 71st in the world. How far can they go? "We are ambitious. It's great to witness the progress we've made in recent years," said Sy.
Souleymane Boum Jr, Ousmane Drame and Sekou Doumbouya inspired Guinea with a combining 47 points, Justin Uwitonze led Rwanda with 17 points.
On Saturday, July 3, Guinea will face Nigeria for a chance to extend their winning streak.
FIBA