FIBA Basketball

    TEAM PROFILE: What lies ahead for Tunisia?

    The core of the team starts to show an impressive chemistry, and the addition of veterans Firas Lahiani and Mokhtar Ghayaza make Tunisia a legitimate AfroCan title contender.

     

    TUNIS (Tunisia) - New era, new generation, that's how this Tunisia team is seen heading to the 2023 FIBA AfroCan in Angola (July 8-16).

    Can Tunisia's new generation match the country's last golden generation's success? This AfroCan could shed light on what lies ahead for the country that dominated African basketball for the last six years. 

    Achref Ganouni in action during the two-game playoff against Algeria last week in Algiers

    Find below detailed information about Tunisia that might be helpful to you.

    Team: Tunisia

    FIBA Ranking Men: 21st in the world; (2nd in Africa)

    Last participation at the AfroCan: 2019

    Best result at the AfroCan: Seventh

    How they qualified for the 2023 AfroCan: In spite of a 70-68 loss to Algeria in the second of the two-game Africa Zone 1 Qualifiers series, Tunisia qualified for the Final Round by winning 117-112 on aggregate.  

    It was a hard-fought qualification for Tunisia who faced neighbouring Algeria away from home.

    Africa: This is going to be Tunisia's second straight appearance in the tournament.

    Four years ago, Tunisia had a promising start to the tournament in Bamako, after wins over Guinea and Egypt in Group D, but a shocking 82-76 Quarter-Finals loss to eventual runners-up Kenya ended Tunisia's dream of reaching the 2019 FIBA AfroCan.

    Tunisia recorded a 3-2 mark to finish seventh in the inaugural AfroCan.

    The Tunisians are headed to Angola as one of the highest-ranked teams (according to the FIBA World Ranking Presented by NIKE) after Nigeria.

    Star player: It's no secret that Tunisia is undergoing a generational-transition.

    And, considering that the likes of Salah Mejri, Radhouan Slimane, Mourad El Mabrouk and Mohamed Hadidane may be nearing the end of their careers, it's time to look at the new generation.

    It would be unfair to single out one player as the most outstanding of them all, but rising stars Oussama Marnaoui, Achref Ganouni and Yacine Toumi seem to be in strong positions to take leading roles in this Tunisian team. 

    Yacine Toumi 

    Rising star: Yacouni Toumi is a 22-year-old who has featured for Tunisia youth teams, and continues to live up to expectations.

    The Evansville University player was crucial in helping Tunisia close the two-game series against Algeria. The 2.02m (6ft 7in) forward might be the go-to man for Tunisia at the 2023 FIBA AfroCan. 

    Head Coach: Oualid Zrida has been around Tunisia's coaching programs for years. 

    Oualid Zrida (Third from left) seen here during the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup African Qualifiers

    Before Zrida helped his country qualify for this year's AfroCan, he served as assistant to Angolan-Portuguese Mario Palma and German  Dirk Bauermman, who led Tunisia to the AfroBasket titles in 2017 and 2021.

    Under Zrida, Tunisia fourth at 2017 FIBA U16 African Championship in Mauritius. 

    Outlook: The least that can be expected from Tunisia is a fourth-place finish. The core of the team starts to show an impressive chemistry, and the addition of veterans Firas Lahiani and Mokhtar Ghayaza make Tunisia a legitimate AfroCan title contender. 

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