KIGALI (Rwanda) – Côte d'Ivoire continues to make history at the FIBA U16 AfroBasket 2025.
The West African team secured their place in the Final for the first time after defeating tournament favourites Egypt 75–58.
Led by Omar Mangassouba, Antoine Mohamed Konan, Bizan Martial Junior N’Goran and Irené Raphael Ouédraogo, Côte d’Ivoire advanced relentlessly, seizing control early on and maintaining it until the final buzzer.
Egypt tried to fight back, but nothing could stop the Elephanteaux's charge. They also secured their first-ever place at the 2026 FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup.
TURNING POINT: Côte d’Ivoire got off to a flying start and finished strongly in the paint, quickly setting the tone for the rest of the game.
After establishing a 4–0 lead, followed by 8–2 and 11–7 by the midway point of the first quarter, the Ivorians dominated the contest from start to finish.
By the end of the first quarter, their eight-point lead (23–15) left little doubt as to the outcome, with Egypt struggling to contest Ivorian dominance.
Another burst in the second quarter, this time 23–16, powered by Ouédraogo’s eight points, gave Côte d’Ivoire a double-digit lead (44–31). Egypt attempted a response, but were unsuccessful.
The third quarter saw a brief Egyptian revival. A 7–0 run reduced the deficit to five points, but they were unable to close the gap further. The Ivorians tightened their defence and systematically broke down Egypt’s attacks.
This allowed them to enter the final stretch with a comfortable 16-point lead (61–45). Egypt put up more resistance in the fourth quarter, winning it 14–13, but this late surge had no real impact.
HEROES: Four players stood out for Côte d’Ivoire: Omar Mangassouba (13 points and 3 rebounds), Antoine Mohamed Konan (16 points, 8 rebounds and 2 steals), Irené Raphael Ouédraogo (14 points and 8 rebounds) and Bizan Martial Junior N’Goran (10 points and 6 rebounds) were instrumental in their success.
Jean-Philippe Oka also played a significant part in the team's success, hauling down 12 rebounds.
Coach Eric Anderson Koffi also deserves credit for keeping his team focused and never losing his composure when Egypt threatened to rally.
STATS DON'T LIE: More than half of Côte d’Ivoire’s 75 points came inside the paint, demonstrating their aggressive approach to attacking the Egyptian basket.
They maintained their discipline from beyond the arc, only taking what was necessary and sinking four triples, three of which were scored by Konan.
In contrast, Egypt struggled badly, hitting only five of their 27 long-range attempts. Ultimately, the Ivorian bench outperformed its counterpart 27–20.
BOTTOM LINE: Côte d’Ivoire went into the game hoping for an upset, and they achieved it in style.
By dismantling Egypt with such authority, they sent a clear message that they are there to win and that nothing will stand in their way.
This victory also secured their historic first place at the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup.
Meanwhile, Egypt will have to settle for playing in the Third-Place Game.
WHAT HE SAID: “This victory means a lot to us. We had never made it to a Final before. Right now, I don’t really have the words to express myself. It’s nearly a year of hard work we’re about to celebrate. But we won’t celebrate just yet. We’ll wait for the Final. We came here to win, and no matter who we face, we’ll give everything to take the trophy back home.” – Jean-Philippe Oka, Côte d’Ivoire forward.
FIBA