MONROVIA (Liberia) – Côte d'Ivoire emerged as the winner of the 2025 FIBA Africa Zone 3 U16 Qualifiers, held at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Complex's Indoor Hall, with a resounding 4-0 record.
This marks the fourth consecutive time that Côte d'Ivoire has qualified for the final round of the championship, which will take place from September 2-14, 2025, in Kigali, Rwanda.
The Ivorians finished their time in Paynesville undefeated, defeating Benin 98–20 and 99–22 in their two-game series and narrowly beating host Liberia 78–68 and 54–43. They finished with a total of 329 points, while only conceding 153.
Led by standout performer Jean Philippe Oka—who was also voted Most Valuable Player—Côte d'Ivoire will prepare to represent Zone 3 at the continental showdown in Kigali, seeking to better their previous performances.
Their last outing was in Monastir, Tunisia, where they finished in sixth place. Guinea shocked all the other teams by emerging as champions.
Previously, Côte d'Ivoire had appeared in Madagascar in 2013, finishing in eighth place; in Cape Verde in 2019, finishing in ninth place; in Egypt in 2021, finishing in fifth place; and in Tunisia in 2023, finishing in sixth place.
Host Liberia turned out to be the second-best team, delivering a dominant performance and defeating Benin 87–35 to claim its second win of the qualifiers against the same opponent. Liberia finished second in the group standings behind
Côte d'Ivoire, wrapping up their campaign with a 2–2 record.
Benin, on the other hand, endured a challenging run, losing all four of their matches. However, there are clear signs of development in team play, defensive structure, and overall game understanding. Under the guidance of head coach Désiré Dèdèwanou, the squad grew more cohesive with each game.
In their final match, they fell to Liberia 87–35, which was a repeat of their opening defeat (38–96) in the first leg.
The Cheetahs also struggled against the powerful Ivory Coast, losing 99–22. Despite the lopsided scores, the experience proved invaluable for Benin’s young players.
While Côte d'Ivoire went home with the trophy, Liberia was recognized for their efforts with the fair play award.
FIBA