DAKAR (Senegal) - Eight teams will do battle in Dakar for their best positioning in the race for a place at next year's AfroBasket.
Of the 12 games scheduled to take place at the magnificent Dakar Arena from November 22-24, five are rated as must-watch and here here's why you shouldn't miss them.
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South Sudan v Morocco
Friday, November 22, 2024 Local Time: 12:00 (GMT0)
This is a clash between the new No.1 team in Africa (South Sudan) and a team (Morocco) that has been experiencing some ups and downs like no other on the continent.
The inevitable question is, can Morocco halt South Sudan's winning streak on the continent? It seems unlikely to see South Sudan, who won 11 of their 12 World Cup Africa Qualifiers encounters, drop their first game since August 26, 2022 when they fell short to Senegal in the World Cup Qualifiers in Monastir, Tunisia.
Winners of the 2023 FIBA AfroCan, Morocco could only entered the AfroBasket Qualifiers as a replacement of Mozambique.
Mali v South Sudan
Saturday, 23 November 2024, 12:00 Local Time: 12:00 (GMT0)
Disqualified midway through 2023 World Cup African Qualifiers, and following a 1-2 mark in the 2023 Pre-Olympic Qualifying Tournament held in Nigeria, Mali are looking to reinvent themselves. And taking on a familiar and ambitious Morocco comes as tough test.
Depending on their results on the opening day (22 November) this is clearly a must-win for either side.
DR Congo v Morocco
Saturday, 23 November 2024, 15:00 Local Time: 15:00 (GMT0)
When Morocco and DR Congo last met in the 2023 FIBA AfroCan Semi-Finals, the former stopped DR Congo's attempt to defend their title. Morocco prevailed 76-69.
And to make this encounter even more enticing is the fact half of that Moroccan team - including head coach Labib El Hamrani and eventual tournament MVP Kevin Franceschi - are back and ready to face a very familiar DR Congo side, which brings half of their roster from the 2023 AfroCan.
Senegal v Cameroon
Saturday, 23 November 2024, 15:00 Local Time: 15:00 (GMT0)
This is probably the most highly-anticipated game of Group C between the Lions of Teranga and Indomitable Lions. The winner of this clash between the No.8 (Senegal) and No.9 (Cameroon) in Africa - according to the FIBA World Ranking - is likely to win the group.
When Cameroon and Senegal last faced off in the 2023 Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament in Lagos, Nigeria, Cameroon prevailed 80-74 in the final to advance to the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
And a thorough look into the pre-selected squads for Dakar indicate that there will be another mouthwatering clash between two of Africa's best teams
Mali v Morocco
Sunday, 24 November 2024, 12:00 Local Time: 12:00 (GMT0)
What makes this an interesting clash to watch is the fact both Mali and Morocco are chasing a new dawn in their basketball history. And taking on a Moroccan team that missed out the 2021 edition of the AfroBasket can present an uphill task for Mali.
FIBA