DAKAR (Senegal) - A quintet of super stars put on a show on the last day of the AfroBasket 2025 Qualifiers Window 2 at Dakar Arena in the Senegalese capital.
It was a spectacle that fans worldwide might remember for a while, especially when a team that dominated the African basketball scene for the last two years fell to an unexpected opponent.
In this article, FIBA.basketball sheds light on Brancou Badio, Jeremiah Hill, Rolly Fula, Wenyen Gabriel and Jordan Sakho stole the show in Dakar.
JEREMIAH HILL
Point Guard DOB: September 4, 1994 Height: 1.88m (6'2") Club: Runa-Basket Nationality: Cameroonian
After finishing with just 9 points in the first two games against Gabon (3) and Rwanda (6), Hill brought his A-game against hosts Senegal, scoring 18 points while dishing out a game-high 9 assists.
Cameroon may have lost 87-83 to Senegal, but bringing his team back from an 18-point deficit in the third quarter is an effort that can't just be overlooked.
BRANCOU BADIO
Point Guard DOB: February 17, 1999 Height: 1.91m (6'3") Club: Valencia Basket Nationality: Senegalese
Badio's impact was so significant for Senegal that when the Teranga Lions looked helpless and struggled to neutralise Cameroon's offense, he came up with some lethal shots that changed the course of the game. The Valencia Basket star was 5-for-13 from the arc, finishing with a game-high of 31 points while dishing out 4 assists.
Badio spent more time (33:35 minutes) on the floor than any other Senegalese.
ROLLY FULA
Small Forward DOB: February 2, 1993 Height: 2.01m (6'7") Club: Val de Seine Basket Nationality: Congolese
For Rolly Fula starting off the bench was never an issue. All he wanted was to spark his team to an unbeaten run in Window 2 of the AfroBasket 2025 Qualifiers. And when coach Michel Perrin called him up off the bench to replace Garmin Kande with 3:17 minutes left in the opening quarter Fula knew it was a superb opportunity to make his name heard in the tournament.
In his first action on the offensive end, Fula scored his first two points. Eventually, he signed out with 6-for-12 shooting, including a 3-for-5 from behind the arc, finishing with a team-high of 21 points.
WENYEN GABRIEL
Power Forward DOB: March 26, 1997 Height: 2.08m (6'10") Club: Maccabi Tel Aviv Nationality: South Sudanese
After sitting out South Sudan's opening game against Morocco and contributing 8 points and 7 rebounds in an 85-69 victory over Mali, the former Los Angeles Lakers player came up with a performance for the ages, finishing with 22 points, 15 rebounds and an efficiency of 30.
South Sudan may have lost their first game in two years on African soil, but Gabriel had a spectacular performance.
JORDAN SAKHO
CENTER DOB: April 4, 1997 Height: 2.09m (6'10") Club: Rio Breogan Nationality: Congolese
Sakho knew before that putting his body on the line would bolster his country's chances in the tournament, and, therefore, he delivered yet another top performance against Africa's highest-ranked team.
Sakho shot 6-for-12, finishing 18 points; he protected his team's rim with three spectacular blocs and grabbed 11 rebounds to complete his double-double performance.
FIBA