SFAX (Tunisia) - The Zone 1 Qualifiers for the 2026 FIBA U18 AfroBasket concluded on Monday, July 13, at Salle Raed Béjaouiin in Sfax, Tunisia.
All three teams at the tournament recorded at least one win. Tunisia finished on top with a 3-1 record, followed by Algeria (2-2) and Libya (1-3).
Find below the main takeaways from the Zone 1 qualifier.
Tunisia’s free-flowing offense
Success in basketball heavily relies on the shared contributions of all team members to execute effectively.
Tunisia’s performance at the qualifiers is a prime example of how shared responsibility leads to success.
Tunisia did not have a standout performer on whom the team relied for points, rebounds or assists, but rather got contributions from the entire roster.
Head coach Anis Ben Hadj’s team’s free-flowing offence had everyone contributing, with only Fedi El Air (10.5 points) averaging in double digits
Abdelkarim Yahiaoui stands out
Abdelkarim Yahiaoui established himself as Algeria’s clear focal point, showcasing an impressive all-around offensive game.
Yahiaoui delivered impressive numbers throughout the tournament, including a 31-point explosion against Tunisia.
He led the tournament scoring with 84 points in four games, averaged 21 points per contest, while shooting an efficient 60.7% from the field.
Yahiaoui’s scoring punch cemented his role in Algeria’s future, and he is one of the youngsters to watch.
A campaign to be proud of for Libya
Libya started the qualifiers as the underdog, lost the first three games and were probably not favoured to record a win.
However, the Libyans defied expectations, coming from down to beat Algeria 60-57 in their last game. The victory came on the back of a 39-point loss to the same opponent a couple of days earlier, a clear sign that the team has the ability to flip the switch.
Ayham Zeenoubah showed he is not afraid to take on scoring responsibility by relentlessly attacking the basket, but most importantly, as a collective, Libya had a campaign to be proud of.
FIBA