ANTANANARIVO (Madagascar) - From Friday, the Palais des Sports in Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar, will be buzzing with the rhythm of the third and final round of the FIBA AfroBasket 2025 Qualifiers.
With three places at stake for four contenders, the competition promises to be intense.
Côte d'Ivoire, Egypt, Madagascar and Central African Republic will battle it out for one of the three qualifying tickets to FIBA AfroBasket 2025, which will be held in Angola from 12 to 24 August.
Côte d'Ivoire in a confident but cautious position
Unbeaten in the first round of qualifying in Cairo in February 2024 (3-0 record), Côte d'Ivoire are well on their way to qualification.
However, the Elephants will need to remain vigilant against a vengeful Egyptian side and a Central African side that will do everything in their power to close the gap.
Madagascar, for their part, can count on the fervent support of their fans, often referred to as the 'sixth man', a valuable asset at home.
On the final day of the Cairo qualifiers, Côte d'Ivoire pulled off a stunning 79-76 victory over Egypt at the Hassan Moustafa Sports Hall, despite trailing by seven points with 4:46 remaining.
A decisive 12-0 run, orchestrated by Jean-Philippe Dally, Alex Poythress and Assemiane Moulare, saw the West Africans snatch victory from the Pharaohs' jaws.
Egypt, who hold a 2-1 record, will be looking for revenge in their next encounter, scheduled for the final day of qualifying on Sunday. On neutral ground, the outcome of this clash remains uncertain.
Central African Republic on the back foot
Central African Republic, on the other hand, have their backs against the wall. With three defeats in a row (0-3), the Fauves are in danger of missing out on this year's AfroBasket. They need to win their remaining three games to qualify - a daunting task, but that's the beauty of sport.
In the atmosphere at the Palais des Sports in Mahamasina, where the Madagascar fans will be cheering on their Ankoay, will the Central Africans be able to spring a surprise and turn the tide?
They have beaten Madagascar in the past, most notably four years ago.
Madagascar: a long-awaited comeback since 2011
For Madagascar, this qualifying window represents a golden opportunity to return to AfroBasket for the first time since 2011, when the country hosted FIBA's flagship competition. Kiady Razanamahenina recently called on fans to come out en masse to support the national team.
Knowing the Madagascan passion for basketball, we can expect record crowds and an electric atmosphere.
An uncertain outcome
Ahead of these crucial matches, the question on everyone's lips is: which teams will qualify for AfroBasket 2025 and set foot in Angola next August? It's hard to say, because the suspense is still palpable. One thing is certain: anything - or almost anything - can still happen.
FIBA