ABIDJAN (Cote d'Ivoire) - The squeaks at the Palais des Sports de Treichville in Abidjan are louder than ever. The continent’s premier youth basketball competition, the FIBA U18 AfroBasket tournament, began on Wednesday, August 5.
Gabon and Madagascar took the court in the first game of the day, setting the stage for an exciting opening day of the tournament. The reigning champions, Mali, dispatched Morocco.
Madagascar overcome 12-point deficit to seal first win
The first quarter of the Group B matchup was a close affair, with Madagascar edging out the competition with a score of 19-17. The two teams then shared dominance in the next two quarters, setting up a tense fourth quarter that came down to the final play. Abdoul Yvan Hanaffi sank a three-pointer at the buzzer, winning the game that seemed destined for overtime.
Throughout the game, the battle was between Madagascar’s point guard, Harinosy Rasetriarivony, who had a double-double with 25 points and 10 assists, and Gabon’s shooting guard, Daryll Georges Mbiguis, who finished with a game-high 27 points and went 5-for-10 from 3-point territory.
Having to guard Rasetriarivony, the orchestrator of Madagascar's offense, threw Mbiguis off his offensive rhythm in the second half. Still, he found moments to deliver and keep Gabon in the game. In the end, however, it was Madagascar who celebrated the 68-65 victory.
What they said
“It was actually really intense. We were chasing the score throughout the match. I would say it was a real battle, because they were leading by ten points at halftime.
"We tried to change our game a bit and be more aggressive on defense. We focused our organization around the ball, since they relied on just a few key players for scoring. So, we didn't have too much trouble containing them. The main issue for those young players is simply a lack of experience at the high level.” — Tojo Hery Rasamoelina, Madagascar Head Coach
“Well, we lost the match at the end. That’s how it is... We made mistakes—specifically regarding boxing out and turnovers—that the other team managed to capitalise on. We committed turnovers that really cost us the game. So, we need to regroup, tighten things up a bit, and come back stronger for the next match. After all, it’s a competition—a long competition. And one thing is certain: we have a goal, which is to get a ranking, because Gabon doesn’t currently have a ranking as an Under-18 team.” — Ylaurich Bertrand Ondo Zogo, Gabon Head Coach.
Defending champions Mali dominate Morocco
In Group B's second game, Mali made their intentions of defending the title clear with a 66-45 win over the 2024 semifinalists, Morocco.
Mali started the game with a 14-0 run, establishing their dominance early with energy and physicality that Morocco couldn’t match, despite closing the first quarter with an 11-4 run.
The second quarter mirrored the first, but Morocco came back in the second half with better defense, and Mali's defense remained tough to beat.
Abdoul Karim Diallo dominated on both ends of the court, especially on defense, with support from Sekou Ousmane Bagayoko. Diallo finished with 21 points and 17 rebounds, achieving an efficiency rating of 35.
Mohamed El Baze scored a team-high 16 points for Morocco.
Next Up
Group B action resumes on Friday with Gabon taking on Mali while Morocco will be up against Madagascar.
FIBA