KIGALI (Rwanda) – Mali and Liberia closed out their Group C campaigns in style, each claiming memorable triumphs in their last outings.
Mali edged Egypt 67-62 in a thriller that went down to the wire, while Liberia made history by defeating Morocco 74-69 to secure their first-ever win at the FIBA U16 AfroBasket.
Here is a summary of today's events.
Mali edged out Egypt in a nail-biting clash
Whenever Egypt and Mali meet at U16 level, fans know they are in for a treat.
The 2025 edition was no exception, with both teams exchanging blows from the outset.
This clash was about more than just points — it was a matter of pride. This time, Mali emerged victorious with a hard-fought 67–62 win, an even more impressive feat given that they only had seven players available.
The fans at Kigali’s Petit Stade were treated to a high-intensity battle that never lost its pace.
"It’s the cup or nothing! We came here only for the title!" declared Mali captain Bakary Ballo, who scored 23 points and had 3 rebounds in 35 minutes and 50 seconds of play.
Egypt, runners-up in the previous tournament, tried to assert their authority from the outset, but Mali kept pace, holding a narrow 12–11 lead after the first quarter.
The North Africans then broke through with small runs to lead 19-16 and later 25-23 at half-time.
The tempo never slowed, and the largest gap came in the third quarter, when Mali briefly built a 43–37 lead. Egypt responded quickly, but Mali won the period 20–19 and trailed by just one point at the start of the final quarter (44–43).
Egypt regained the upper hand, stretching the margin to 53-49, but the decisive moment came in the closing minutes.
Mali then strung together an 18-9 run to secure a memorable 67-62 victory.
“Those five teammates who couldn’t make it to this AfroBasket are our motivation. We are here for them," added Ballo.
Statistically, the margins were razor thin. Mali capitalised on Egypt’s 17 turnovers, converting them into 21 points.
Meanwhile, Egypt’s deeper rotation produced 28 bench points, compared to just six for Mali.
"The coach keeps motivating us by telling us to play for the flag. Since 2017, we’ve been chasing the trophy. This year, it’s trophy or nothing," Ballo emphasised.
This is Liberia's first ever victory in the tournament
Debutants Liberia had reason to celebrate after their final Group C match, pulling off a 74–69 win against Morocco to secure their first victory at the FIBA U16 AfroBasket tournament.
The game carried added weight, with both teams coming into it with two losses.
Backed by Sierra Leonean fans and a small but vocal Liberian contingent, the West Africans rose to the occasion.
Liberia set the tone early on, establishing a 17-10 lead by the end of the first quarter. Morocco fought back to reduce the deficit to four points by halftime (35-31), but ultimately failed to find the decisive spark against a Liberian side that appeared more disciplined at both ends of the court.
By the third quarter, Liberia were keeping Morocco at bay, but were still having to absorb waves of pressure. Morocco had the edge in the final quarter (21–20), yet their late surge wasn’t enough.
For captain Kamara Kosso, the victory carried immense meaning. 'This is the game of a lifetime! We trained so hard for this moment, and today we received support that we never expected," he said proudly.
Kosso also acknowledged Morocco’s resilience. 'They challenged us throughout the game, but the coach told us to keep attacking the basket and never give up,' he explained.
FIBA