MOR/TUN - Moroccans set to meet Tunisia in last eight

ANTANANARIVO (Afrobasket) - The dream of every player at the Afrobasket in Madagascar is to reach the top of the podium and qualify for the London Games.

The men who suited up for Morocco and Tunisia on Wednesday are now a step closer to Olympic qualification after winning do-or-die clashes.

Abdelhakim Zouita played a crucial role for Morocco as the north Africans knocked Mali out of the Afrobasket in Madagascar.

Zouita had 15 points and four assists in a decisive 80-59 triumph.

Also for Morocco, Abderrahim Najah had 15 points while Sophian Rafai and Kamal Hachad combined for 27.

Mali coach Jose Ruiz got 35 points but it was not enough as his hopes of a return trip to the Olympics with Mali were dashed.

Ruiz coached the women at the Beijing Games in 2008.

The start had looked good for Mali.

Morocco trailed by nine at the end of the opening quarter but stormed back and went in front at 29-28 two minutes before the break.

The Moroccans took a 33-28 lead to half-time and went on to win comfortably.

Next up for Morocco is a Quarter-Final against Tunisia.

Bronze-medal winners of 2009 in Libya, the Tunisians hammered South Africa 94-50 on Wednesday for their fourth consecutive victory.

Lassaad Chouaya did not play in the victory over the Central African Republic but he led a balanced Tunisian attack with 16 points.

Tunisia's standout player at the Afrobasket so far, Macram Ben Romdhane, had 14 points.

Ben Romdhane, who is averaging 15.2 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, has been so good that he could end up making the all-tournament team.

There will be a north African showdown on Friday as Tunisia face Morocco in the Quarter-finals.

Hosts Madagascar lost for the fourth consecutive time.

They fell 92-75 to powerhouses Senegal on Wednesday.

Senegal got a dominating effort from Papa Ndiaga Diasse, who had 16 points and 11 rebounds.

Mouhammad Faye had a game-high 19 points in 22 minutes for the Senegalese.

Senegal began the game with a 10-0 run and ended the quarter with a 26-13 lead.

Malagasy stars Charles Ramsdell and Yeriso Rabekoto responded with 19 points apiece by the game's end but it was not enough.

The Senegalese will face Ivory Coast, who in the first game of Day 8 knocked Rwanda out of the tournament with an 80-72 come-from-behind win.

Cameroon, Tunisia, Senegal and Nigeria have four-game winning streaks heading into the last eight.

The two mouthwatering Quarter-Final showdowns on Thursday see Cameroon face Angola and Nigeria go up against the Central African Republic.

The side that wins the Afrobasket will qualify for the London Games while the teams that come in second and third will be invited to the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

Julio Chitunda
FIBA