MOÇÂMEDES (Angola) - Côte d'Ivoire used a strong performance in the fourth quarter to defeat DR Congo 75-63, closing their 2025 AfroBasket Group A campaign undefeated in three games.
The Ivorians trailed on numerous occasions, but they brought their A-game in the final five minutes.
Solo Diabaté received a standing ovation as he was replaced in the final seconds of the game after scoring three of his four three-pointers in the fourth quarter to finish with 10 points.
As group winners, Côte d'Ivoire automatically qualified for the quarterfinals, and DR Congo finished third in the group.
TURNING POINT: This DR Congo vs. Côte d'Ivoire game clearly exemplified the idea that "basketball is a game of runs."
Côte d'Ivoire never led in the opening quarter. However, they used a strong performance in the second quarter, propelled by their 10-0 scoring run, to take a 38-30 lead by the end of the quarter.
Trailing by eight at halftime, DR Congo went on a 15-0 scoring run to take a 45-38 lead in the third quarter, holding Côte d'Ivoire scoreless for three minutes.
The Elephants of Côte d'Ivoire responded with an 11-0 run to take a 54-47 lead, closing the third quarter ahead by two points (52-50).
However, DR Congo turned the ball over six times in the final ten minutes and allowed Côte d'Ivoire to go on a 14-2 run in the final five minutes, ending DR Congo's hopes of competing for the top two spots in Group C.
HEROES: Solo Diabaté, who last played for the Angolan champions Petro de Luanda, put on his superhero suit when the Democratic Republic of the Congo team appeared to be gaining confidence. In the last ten minutes of the game, he delivered key blows, shooting 3-for-4 from deep and finishing with 10 points.
He received a well-deserved standing ovation from local fans.
Another game changer for Côte d'Ivoire was power forward Matt Costello. He finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds, marking his second double-double in three games.
STATS DON'T LIE: Côte d'Ivoire capitalized on DR Congo's mistakes, scoring 31 points off their opponents' 24 turnovers.
Once again, Côte d'Ivoire's bench proved crucial, outscoring DR Congo's 40–20.
BOTTOM LINE: The first three quarters lived up to the hype as neither team showed signs of slowing down.
However, a more aggressive Côte d'Ivoire defense in the fourth quarter proved to be too much for DR Congo.
With their third consecutive win, Côte d'Ivoire reaffirmed their intention to compete for their first African title in four decades.The Ivorians finished first in Group A with a perfect 3–0 record and won't play again until August 20 in the quarterfinals.
Meanwhile, DR Congo will resume their campaign in Luanda, facing Cameroon in the Classification Round for the Quarterfinals.
WHAT THEY SAID: "We played good basketball in the first three quarters. In the final quarter, we relaxed a bit. We don't have time to practice maintaining our focus for 40 minutes. The most important thing now is focusing on the next game." - DR Congo power forward Jordan Sakho.
"I'm just happy that I made those shots. The team was playing good defense and running well, and I had the confidence to take those shots. It's not just about me; it's about our defense, with all five players contributing. Lionel Kouadio is not a particularly good shooter, but he made a few three-pointers for us. Everyone contributed in some way. This happened to me today, and tomorrow it might happen to someone else." - Cote d'ivoire point guard Solo Diabaté.
FIBA