SAL (Cape Verde) - A new dawn awaits the continent as 3x3 basketball prepares to take the inaugural African Beach Games by storm come June 20 in the Cape Verde island of Sal, off the coast of West Africa. 

A total of 11 countries have assembled to battle for the podium places including the reigning African champions Cote d'Ivoire (men) and Mali (women). 

Six nations including Algeria, hosts Cape Verde, Djibouti, Mali, Togo and Tunisia are fielding both men and women's teams while Cote d'Ivoire and Ghana only have men's teams while Botswana and Namibia have only women's teams. 

In the women's category, Algeria, Botswana, Nigeria and Togo have been drawn in Pool A while hosts Cape Verde, Djibouti, Mali, Namibia and Tunisia will be tussling it out in Pool B. 

Hosts Cape Verde, Algeria, Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana and Mali are in Pool A in the men's category while the Congolese will be looking to stop newbies Djibouti, Togo and Tunisia in what is promising to be an interesting series of unique rivalries. 

Cape Verde on their part will be looking to use home advantage to stake a claim for themselves and the growth of the shorter version of the game in their country. 

Tunisia up against Djibouti in the women's category will tip off the 3x3 basketball action at the well anticipated continental event at 9am local time (GMT -1) while Ghana face Cape Verde in the men's grouping 40 minutes later. 

Over 1,000 athletes from 42 countries are in Cape Verde competing for 10 days through to June 23. 

Women: Algeria, Botswana, Cape Verde, Djibouti, Mali, Namibia, Nigeria, Togo and Tunisia, 

Men: Algeria, Cape Verde, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Ghana, Mali, Togo and Tunisia

FIBA