RADES (Tunisia) - The FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 African Qualifiers have truly got underway, and what a start it has been!
After a dramatic opening day, which players dominated the court?
It's now time to vote! Scroll down and cast your vote!
Ivan Almeida (Cape Verde)
Despite a surprisingly slow start, Cape Verde overcame Cameroon in their clash, with brothers Ivan and Joel Almeida leading the team's performance. The younger Almeida finished with an impressive efficiency rating of 20. He finished with 20 points, 11 rebounds and 8 assists.
Omar Abada (Tunisia)
In a tough match-up against Nigeria, coach Adel Tlatli's Tunisia played for an 88-78 overtime victory. The veteran point guard Omar Abada was the star of the show, scoring nine of his 29 points in the extra period to secure the 10-point victory. Abada shot 5-for-11 from deep. He led by example, finishing with a team-high efficiency rating of 26.
Shannon Evans (Guinea)
In a dominant display of perimeter shooting mastery, point guard Shannon Evans dropped seven of his eleven shots, the highest number of the day. He added a single basket inside to finish with a game-high 27 points. Guinea defeated Rwanda 82–70. Four of his three-pointers came in an 18-17 third quarter; without his contribution, Rwanda would probably have come back into the game. Evans also made five assists, stole the ball three times and grabbed two rebounds, finishing the match with an efficiency rating of 27. .
Kur Kuath (South Sudan)
There was a reason why Kur Kuath spent 26:20' minutes on the floor — 25 seconds fewer than Jackson Makoi. One of the most experienced players in a team that arrived in Tunisia with six new players, Kuath made a significant contribution, finishing with eight points, ten rebounds, four blocks, and the team's highest efficiency rating of 19.
Oussama Marnaoui (Tunisia)
His impact on the Tunisian team is undeniable. Oussama Marnaoui has rightly become one of the leaders of this Tunisian team. When the former African champions needed him most, he delivered a number of game-changing plays to help Tunisia beat Nigeria 88–78 on the opening day of the African Qualifiers. He finished with 25 points, 5 rebounds, one steal and an efficiency rating of 20 — the second highest after Omar Abada.
CAST YOUR VOTE!
FIBA