AfroBasket - Senegal edge out Cote d'Ivoire for last Africa place to Spain 2014

ABIDJAN (AfroBasket/FIBA Basketball World Cup) - Mamadou Ndoye hit a decisive three-pointer followed by a free-throw with 13 seconds left to play in the Third-Place Game at AfroBasket 2013 to give Senegal a 57-56 win over Cote d'Ivoire and clinch the last berth on offer in Abidjan for the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

With the win, the Senegalese also got a measure of revenge for the 74-46 defeat they suffered against the tournament hosts in the Preliminary Round.

They are the third and final team to qualify for Spain 2014 via the AfroBasket after Egypt and Angola achieved the feat on Friday, by winning their Semi-Finals.

Senegal last played in FIBA's flagship event in 2006.

Cote d'Ivoire led 56-53 before Ndoye hit his three-pointer and converted a four-point play after he was fouled on the shot by Mamadou Lamizana to edge Senegal in front 57-56.

With 12 second remaining and trailing by one point, Phillipe Amagou inbounded to Lamizana who missed the jumper as the tournament ended in disappointment for the host nation.

Cote d’Ivoire trailed 32-24 at the half but outscored Senegal 19-11 in the third quarter to tie the score at 43 heading into the fourth quarter.

The home side went in front 45-43 on Frejus Zerbos' lay-up early in the final frame before Senegal responded with a pair of three-pointers by Mohamet Diop and soon were up 51-47.

That was the moment when Senegal adopted a zone defense that disintegrate Cote d'Ivoire's game plan although there was still seven minutes remaining.

A three-pointer by Amagou gave the hosts hope as they got within 51-49 with five minutes remaining and the Palais des Sports erupted when Souleymane Diabate hit a long bomb of his own to cut the deficit to 53-52 with just over two minutes to play.

Lamizana made a basket and hit a pair of free-throws inside the final minute to put Cote d'Ivoire up 56-53 before Ndoye took over for Senegal.

Although the fourth quarter was pivotal in determining the final outcome, it was during the second period that things started slipping away for Cote d'Ivoire as they went scoreless for five and half minutes enabling Senegal to go on a 10-0 run that gave them a 19-16 lead.

This was probably the worst period played by Natxo Lezkano's men all tournament and was caused by a Senegalese zone defense.

Cote d'Ivoire managed just eight points in the second quarter, courtesy of six free-throws and a lone field goal scored by Lamizana with 24 seconds to go before halftime.

In that moment it became evident some desperation for the hosts despite home crowd support who was in a much smaller attendance.

After the game, Senegal's Hammady Ndiaye explained what it meant to win the game and qualify for the FIBA Basketball World Cup.

"With two weeks preparation, coming here and make it to Spain, it means everything we worked for," he said.

"Nobody believed in us, and here we are on the way to Spain.

"I have no words to explain in crossing mind right now.

Senegal head coach Sheikh Sarr explained that his team did not lack in motivation going into the contest.

"There was no way we could lose this game after the defeat in the preliminary. We did a very good job defensively," he said.

Cote d'Ivoire head coach Natxo Lezkano said his team's loss was not down to Ndoye's late heroics.

"We did not lose the game in the final possession we lost it in 40 minutes because we did not use our game plan," he explained.

FIBA