Top-5 unmissable matchups in Window 4 of the African Qualifiers
There will 18 games in this week's Window 4 of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 African Qualifiers in Abidjan and Monastir, but five of those are simply unmissable.
ABIDJAN/MONASTIR (Cote d'Ivoire/Tunisia) - There will 18 games in this week's Window 4 of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 African Qualifiers in Abidjan and Monastir, but five of those are simply unmissable.
How and why are those unmissable match-ups? That's because of the level of talents, skilful coaching staff and, more importantly, the rivalry involved and the impact those games can have in the outcome of the World Cup African Qualifiers.
Friday, August 26 (Monastir)
EGYPT vs TUNISIA
Some of the hottest topics in African basketball circles lately has been about the growth and potential of the Egyptian team under Canadian Roy Rana. The Pharaohs seem to be the team that Tunisia was a decade ago: Young, highly confident, and enormously competitive.
And, on Friday, Egypt will go up against a highly experienced Tunisia team, who look to protect their home-court.
When Egypt and Tunisia faced off a year ago at AfroBasket, the two-time defending African champions Tunisia rallied from a 19-point deficit to prevail 87-81, in what was one of Tunisia's toughest tests before retaining their title.
Omar Oraby (2.18m), Anas Mahmoud (2.14m) are the twin towers with with Coach Rana hopes to try and stop seven-footer Salah Mejri, one of Tunisia's main offensive weapons.
Egypt and Tunisia fit each other, but the teams that makes fewer mistakes (defensively) can have the last laugh.
One thing that Tunisians haven't forgotten and have used as an inspiration is their disappointing 2013 AfroBasket campaign, which ended abruptly in the Eight Finals at the expense of a young Egyptian team that went on to finish second while they failed to defend their AfroBasket title.
SENEGAL vs SOUTH SUDAN
How can a South Sudan vs Senegal be an unmissable match-up if the latter demolished their opponents 104-75 when they met a year ago at AfroBasket? You may ask.
It happens that circumstances have changed dramatically.
None expected Senegal to be in a position they are now (2-3) in the African Qualifiers, and very few imagined South Sudan would be just three wins away from their first-ever World Cup appearance with six games left.
Senegal arrived in Monastir looking to move on from their poor and questionable performances in Windows 2 and 3; they brought in DeSagana Diop, as new coach while high-flying South Sudan have learned from their mistakes and hope to build on their splendid form.
Both teams have size, shooters and slashers, making this one watch out for.
Friday, August 26 (Abidjan)
COTE D'IVOIRE vs NIGERIA
The last time D'Tigers visited Abidjan in the last window of the 2019 World Cup African Qualifiers, they suffered an humiliating 72-46 defeat.
Now Nigeria desperately need to transform their 2-2 mark into a 5-2, but taking on Cote d'Ivoire in their first Group E game seems to be a challenge for the ages.
Cote d'Ivoire, on the other hand, currently boast a perfect 4-0, and need three more wins to return for the World Cup for the second straight time.
Coach Mike Brown is back at the helm of Nigeria and hopes to relaunch D'Tigers's World Cup bid.
Saturday, August 27 (Monastir)
TUNISIA vs SENEGAL
Two of the five teams that represented African in the last World Cup find themselves fighting for their survival in the race to Indonesia, Japan and Philippines.
Tunisia keep positive memories of their last meeting against Senegal. Back in 2015, host Tunisia had just fallen short to Angola in the Semi-Finals, but in the Third-Place Game, the Eagles of Carthage outclassed Senegal.
Sunday, August 28 (Abidjan)
ANGOLA vs NIGERIA
Angola's fall from grace began on August 30, 2015 when they lost to Nigeria in the most important game of the Championship.
The two sides haven't met since.
For years, Angola became Nigeria's main obstruction to the continental crown, but things have changed with D'Tigers currently ranked as Africa's No.1 team - according to FIBA World Rankings - while the eleven-time African champions are experiencing a rebuilding process.
What makes this matchup an intriguing one is the fact that Nigeria and Angola share a 2-2 mark apiece in Group E. Whoever wins this battle on Sunday won't look back, and will bolster their World Cup African Qualifiers campaign.
FIBA