ABIDJAN (Cote d'Ivoire) - There was a bit of everything in the final games of the qualifiers for the 2025 AfroBasket tournament. From shocking results, new records, upsets, tireless crowds and a big picture of what lies ahead.
In this article, we take a look at the highlights of the matches played in Antananarivo, Rabat and Tripoli from 21-23 February.
NIGERIA RISE FROM THE ASHES
There is no other way to describe Nigeria's incredible comeback in this tournament. SIMPLY FANTASTIC.
After going 0-3 in the first round of qualifying, the D'Tigers were on the verge of missing out on AfroBasket 2025, but in a remarkable turn of events, they convincingly beat all three of their Group B opponents to finish 3-3.
Unlike Nigeria, Cape Verde, who won their first three group games, have lost their last three.
None of the other teams in similar circumstances - Morocco, Gabon and Central African Republic - managed to turn the tables.
COTE D'IVOIRE AND SENEGAL REIGN SUPRREME
Heading into the final 30 games of these qualifiers, FIBA.basketball had Côte d'Ivoire and Senegal as the top-ranked teams, and both teams lived up to expectations.
Côte d'Ivoire and Senegal were the only two teams not to taste defeat, with a 6-0 record each.
FIRST LOSS OF THE REIGNING CHAMPIONS
Reigning AfroBasket champions Tunisia arrived in Tripoli with a perfect 3-0 record, but were unable to build on their impressive first-round campaign.
A 73-62 loss to Angola was Tunisia's first defeat (FIBA official games only) under coach Mehdy Mary.
MOROCCO TO REACCESS FAILURE
Hopes were high that Morocco would bounce back from a 0-3 mark in first-round, but things didn't go according to plan.
Morocco went down 0-3 again in the second round and will miss out on AfroBasket for the second year in a row.
Winners of the 2023 FIBA AfroCan - a tournament for African-based players - Morocco not only lost to Libya in the two-game pre-qualifier series, but also entered the AfroBasket qualifiers as a replacement for Mozambique.
Time to go back to the boardroom and re-strategise.
THE LONG AWAITED RETURN TO THE AFROBASKET FAMILY
There will be two unfamiliar faces when AfroBasket 2025 gets underway in August following the qualification of Libya and Madagascar.
Both teams last appeared in the tournament as hosts of the 2009 (Libya) and 2011 (Madagascar) editions of AfroBasket.
Libya and Madagascar have now turned the tables and confirmed their qualification as two of the three hosts of the final qualifying window.
HIGH COMPETITION MARKS LAST WINDOW
The final games of the AfroBasket Qualifiers were anything but boring.
Of the 29 games played in Tripoli, Antananarivo and Rabat, 13 were decided by single digits and 7 by 1 or 3 points.
And, as predicted by FIBA.basketball, one of the most anticipated games - Senegal vs. Cameroon - was decided in overtime.
SILVA LEAVES HIS MARK
Gabon may have returned home winless in six games, but former NBA star Chris Silva left his mark on the tournament.
In his debut with Gabon, Silva, who missed the first round due to a last-minute injury, scored 34 points in an 82-65 loss to favourites Senegal.
Silva's 34 points were the second-highest total in the qualifying window and the third-highest overall.
NEW REBOUNDING RECORD
Central African Republic's Allan Dokossi put on a show on the final day of the qualifiers.
As the former African champions sought their first win of the tournament, Dokossi dominated the paint with 19 rebounds - a new record in the history of the AfroBasket Qualifiers.
The Central Africans went on to beat Madagascar 87-75.
BLOCKS RECORD TIED
24 hours after tying the record for most blocks in an AfroBasket Qualifiers game, Madagascar's Sitraka Raharimanantoanina saw his mark equalled by Gabon's Daniel Akoue, who finished with 6 in an 81-71 loss to Rwanda.
DUNDAO CLOSES IN WAINRIGHT'S RECORD
The highest efficiency rating (51) in an AfroBasket Qualifiers game still belongs to Uganda's Ishamail Wainright.
However, Angola's Childe Dundao produced a performance for the ages in an 88-59 win over Kenya to finish with an efficiency rating of 40, the second highest in the history of the tournament and the highest in the 2025 AfroBasket Qualifiers.
BEST WINNING TEAM IN AFRICA
Côte d'Ivoire, the 2021 AfroBasket runners-up, have the best win-loss record on the African continent over the past four years.
They finished the 2025 AfroBasket qualifiers with a perfect 6-0 record, taking their overall record to 16-2 since November 2021.
Côte d'Ivoire's last two defeats came in the final qualifying window for the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup African Qualifiers, when they lost to Nigeria and Cape Verde in Angola in February 2023.
South Sudan have the second-best record at 15-3. African teams to beat South Sudan since November 2021 include Senegal, DR Congo and Mali.
UNFAMILIAR TERRITORY FOR CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
Having participated in every FIBA AfroBasket since 2001, the Central African Republic will miss out on the tournament after finishing bottom of Group D in the qualifiers.
Coincidentally, the last time the Central African Republic missed out on an AfroBasket, it was in held in Angola in 1999.
FIBA