Who will make it to the Final Eight?
Now that the Group Phase is done and dusted, with Mali, Cameroon, Rwanda and reigning champions Nigeria are all qualified for the Quarter-Finals, it's time to decide which other four teams will make it
KIGALI (Rwanda) – Now that the Group Phase is done and dusted, with Mali, Cameroon, hosts Rwanda and reigning champions Nigeria are all qualified for the Quarter-Finals, it's time to decide which other four teams will make it to this important round.
With some mouthwatering match-ups, Tuesday, August 1 becomes a day to stay connected to the Classification Round for the Quarter-Finals, and here is why.
ANGOLA v GUINEA
The day will open with Guinea taking on Angola, the winners of the 2011 and 2013 editions of the African championships.
The game promises to be as tough as it can be as both teams will be looking to improve their ranking at FIBA Africa’s flagship event for women.
Finishing second in Group A to Rwanda, Angola have scored points in the race to the Quarter-Finals after their epic win against the hosts.
They bring around a young team, full of energy and capable of the best. The likes of Sarah Caetano, Artemis Afonso and Isabel Joao are more than willing to do just like their elders.
Masseny Kaba
Guinea, on the other hand, finished far from the podium at the 2021 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket.
So they are looking to move up the ranks. Guinea’s main strength rest on Masseny Kaba, who is quite a game changer by herself.
While they suffered in their opening game against Mozambique, Kaba's presence on the court during the second game against Cameroon brought another momentum to the team, who finished with a 20-point deficit.
EGYPT V SENEGAL
This will be one of the most exciting games of the Classification Round at the BK Arena.
Egypt, who are aiming for a spot in the Final Four, will battle title contenders Senegal, who lost their two opening games to Uganda and Mali. Surprisingly, Senegal’s roster can be considered a strong one.
But will coach Mustapha Geye find the right words for the girls to bounce back and go all the way?
Cierra Dillard, Senegal's point guard, recalls that the Lionesses have lost their two opening games in 2015 and were crowned some days later. "There’s still an opportunity, and we are going to take it," she told FIBA.basketball.
Nadine Mohamed
Egypt's captain Soraya Degheidy is adamant her side can aspire to more than Classification Games. “We're not here to finish in the Top Eight. We're here for the Final Four." This translates their state of mind, as they walk into the Classification Round with a 1-1 streak.
MOZAMBIQUE V COTE D’IVOIRE
Can tournament favorite Mozambique bounce back after their surprising opening defeat?
Looking at how they paved their way to victory against Guinea, the answer could be a big |"yes". Leia Dongue is the driving force behind this team.
Leia Dongue
And when she's not around, the likes of Tamara Seda, Ingvild Mucauro and Odelia Mafanela can easily take up the leader's role and carry the Guerreras to victory.
On the other side, Cote d'Ivoire seem to have found a leader in Djafarima Diawara. She powered the Elephants to a narrow, yet satisfying victory over Angola (72-69) and redeemed the team from their loss to the hands of Rwanda on the opening day.
The big question right now would be: can they make it two against one of the best teams in Africa?
UGANDA v DR CONGO
DR Congo walks into the Classification Round with a 0-2 streak and have to prove observers wrong.
While losing their opening game against Nigeria seemed logical enough, the way the lost to Egypt shows that they can resist any team at the 2023 FIBA Women's AfroBasket,
Jannon Otto
From the way they played against Egypt, it seems that they have talked about their flaws and they corrected them along the way. But will they be able to go the extra mile against Uganda?
Uganda, on the other hand, have shown that they are a force to be reckoned with when they overcame Senegal in their second game in the Group C. Though it was with a narrow margin (85-83), they hung tight and did not let the stakes bother them.
They instead controlled the game. For their upcoming game, they have some weapons that can cause massive harm: Jannon Otto is already at 40 points, with 19 points against Mali and 21 against Senegal, Flavia Oketcho and Claire Lamunu, who account for 19.5 points.
This Classification Round to the Quarter-Finals will be as tough as the Group Phase. And it promises some very disputed games at the BK Arena.
FIBA