Madagascar have a shot to go out in style against Angola in Third-Place match

 

ANTSIRABE (Madagascar) - The host nation Madagascar have given a good account of themselves at the 2022 FIBA U18 Women's African Championship and on Saturday they have one more chance to close out the tournament on a high note.

Madagascar, who have played an exciting brand of basketball, will battle it out with Angola for a third place position at the Gymnase Couvert D'Antsirabe, after both teams lost their Semi-Final matches on Thursday.

The Angolans are headed to the Third-Place match at 3-2 while Madagascar are 2-3 ahed of Saturday's clash.

It's the first time Angola and Madagascar face each other in this year's tournament.

Angola, who last won this competition in 1998, did not have the best of Semi-Final performances against finalists, Mali and coach Alisa Pires will want her team to bring their A-game against the Malagasy.

While this fixture is all about pride, it will be played in front of a passionate home crowd that will expect great performance again from the home team, who valiantly stood up to Egypt in the first  two quarters of their Semi-Final battle. Madagascar's more esteemed opponents had experience and that helped them prevail.  

The Malagasy team will have grown from this tournament experience and it is hoped that they will participate in more of these competitions in order to help their basketball to develop further.

Team coach  Bayard Razafindralambo, after the loss to Egypt, highlighted some the challenges face by the team while getting ready for the competition.

"I am proud of this team of what we achieved because of the time we had to prepare for this tournament was short. We started on the first of the last month, but we reached our goal even when the timeline was against us. Money and many other issues were a problem," said Razafindralambo, who reflected on Saturday's game. "We are going to play and try and win the third place game for the people of Madagascar and also for the team's pride."

The likes of shooting guard Marion Rasolofoson and forward Kristina Rakotobe, who have starred for Madagascar in the competition, it will be one more time to go out in fine style and who better to do that, than Angola.

The last time Angola played a Third-Place in 2018 in the U18 Women's African Championship they prevailed against Rwanda.

Madagascar, on the hand, have reached the last of the tournament for the very first time.

FIBA