KIGALI (Rwanda) - If Egypt are to return to their glory days, they will need to take some valuable lessons from the 2025 FIBA U16 AfroBasket.
A dominant force in the U16 AfroBasket tournament, Egypt saw their reign come to an end after losing 58–51 to Mali in the Third-Place Game.
This means that they will return home empty-handed for the first time since the event was introduced in 2009.
After losing to Mali 67–62 in their final Group C game four days earlier, Egypt showed early signs of turning things around.
However, some uncoordinated plays and excessive turnovers compromised their chances of staying in the game.
Yahya Ammar was the only Egyptian player to score in double figures, finishing with a game-high 16 points after shooting 6-for-11 from the floor, including 3-for-5 from deep.
Bakary Ballo and his teammate Idrissa Maiga both scored 10 points to help Mali claim a bronze medal at the Kigali 2025 U16 showpiece.
TURNING POINT: Egypt's 41–40 lead at the end of the third quarter disappeared after Mali scored seven unanswered points at the start of the fourth period.
Desperate to salvage their U16 AfroBasket campaign and secure the bronze medal, Mali went on to lead by as many as nine points (52–43), thanks to a three-pointer from Moustapha Doumbia with four minutes remaining.
Realising that they were losing control of the game, Egypt called a timeout. Yehia Bekhit then sank a three-pointer, giving Egypt hope and breathing space, but Mali went on to control the rest of the game, closing their campaign with a 5–1 record, while Egypt finished with a 3–3 record.
HERO: Mahamadou Modibo Diarra, who turns 15 on September 19, came into the game averaging 4.6 points and one block per game.
However, the third-place play-off of the 2025 U16 AfroBasket will probably remain one of his most memorable moments.
Coming off the bench, Diarra contributed eight points, nine rebounds and an impressive five blocked shots to help Mali beat Egypt for the second time in the tournament.
STATS DON'T LIE: Turnovers were a major issue for Egypt throughout the tournament. At one point during a group phase game against Liberia, they had an astonishing 30 turnovers, yet still managed to win 74–61.
In the decisive third-place play-off against a highly combative Mali team, Egypt needed to handle the ball better. This didn't happen, though, as their sloppy play resulted in 22 turnovers, from which Mali capitalised to score 25 points.
Egypt never really coped with Mali's fast-paced style of play, allowing their opponents to score 22 fast-break points.
BOTTOM LINE: Egypt and Mali are two of the highest-ranked teams in Africa at youth level.
Over the years, the two teams have faced each other five times in the U16 AfroBasket Finals, with Egypt emerging victorious on four occasions.
However, 2025 could be the year that the so-called powerhouses question their strategies, as neither Mali nor Egypt reached the final.
Egypt, the five-time U16 AfroBasket champions, reached the final of each of the last eight editions of the tournament. However, Mali put a stop to their historic run by securing two straight wins over Egypt in Kigali.
FIBA