ABIDJAN (Cote d'Ivoire) – In a few months’ time, Kigali, the capital city Rwanda, will welcome the ninth edition of the biennial FIBA U16 AfroBasket for the first time in its history.
FIBA U16 AfroBasket 2025 will be held in Rwanda from September 2-14 and the top two teams will automatically qualify for the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cups in 2026.
From Angola's only African U16 title to Guinea's crowning in Monastir, FIBA.basketball takes a look at how the five previous editions unfolded and how the African champions fared at the following year's FIBA U17 World Cup.
DOMINANT EGYPT
Egypt has won the tournament a record five times (2009, 2011, 2015, 2019 and 2021).
Angola (2013), Mali (2017) and Guinea (2023) are the other nations to have won the tournament.
Despite their dominance in the age category, the Young Pharaohs have never won a three-peat.
HOW HAVE THE LAST FIVE EDITIONS BEEN?
The U16 AfroBasket has become a proving ground where rivalries ignite and legends are born.
Over the past five editions, the tournament has delivered unforgettable drama, unexpected heroes and a fiercely contested balance of power between West and North Africa.
2015 (Bamako, Mali)
In 2015, the city of Bamako pulsated with the hopes of a nation hungry for gold. But it was Egypt, who arrived as 2013 silver medalists, who painted the city red, white, and black.
Their journey to a third continental crown wasn't without scars - their only loss came to hosts Mali in a thrilling 77-75 preliminary round game that seemed to foreshadow a shift in power.
But Egypt, calm and clinical, regrouped. They eased past Tunisia (93-85) in a high-octane North African quarterfinal, then exorcised past demons with a resounding 74-51 victory over Angola - the same team that had denied them a treble two years earlier.
In the final, destiny seemed to be on the line, but a late winner sealed Egypt's triumph, silencing the Bamako crowd and claiming their third U16 AfroBasket title.
2017 (Phoenix, Mauritius)
Two years later, the tables were turned. Phoenix, Mauritius, played host to a Malian team fueled not only by skill but by a deep, lingering memory. Among them was Siriman Kanouté, a teenager who had watched Egypt celebrate in his hometown in 2015. This time, he took the court with fire in his eyes - and a score to settle.
Kanouté was unstoppable, averaging a tournament-best 24.8 points per game, including an astonishing 50-point performance in a 165-23 rout of Mauritius. Mali breezed through Tunisia and Algeria to set up a rematch with Egypt in the final. With poise and power, they claimed a 76-65 victory to turn the tables and lift the long-awaited trophy.
2019 (Praia, Cape Verde)
Salvation would swing its pendulum again. At the Praia Arena, Egypt returned as the hunters. They cruised through the group stage unbeaten, dominating the likes of Nigeria, Angola and hosts Cape Verde. Their cohesiveness and experience stood out, and when they met Mali again in the final, it wasn't just about gold. It was about restoring pride.
With clinical defense and clutch execution, Egypt pulled out a 66-57 victory to claim their fourth U16 crown and reassert themselves at the top of the African youth hierarchy.
2021 (Cairo, Egypt)
In 2021, the tournament came home. Egypt hosted in Cairo, surrounded by their roaring faithful.
Though they were dealt an early blow-another group-stage loss to Mali (71-62)-they regrouped like champions.
They overcame Algeria in a dogfight in the semifinals, then faced Mali again in a breathless final. This time, it was a razor-thin 63-62 victory - one point the difference between heartbreak and ecstasy.
Egypt stood tall for the fifth time, kings once more, but not without scars.
2023 (Monastir, Tunisia)
Then came the storm from the west. The 2023 edition was supposed to be another chapter in the Egypt-Mali saga, but Guinea had a different script in mind. Their run was both dominant and defiant, beginning with a 95-62 thrashing of Morocco and culminating with an 83-78 shocker over reigning champions Egypt.
Powered by the fearless quartet of Nour Gassim Toure, Arafan Diane, Karamandi Gassama and Mohamed Lamine Toure, Guinea swept aside Uganda, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire and, finally, Angola. With a combined 72 points in the final, they outlasted Egypt again (84-76) to claim their first-ever youth title and prove that the future of African basketball is bigger and brighter than ever imagined.
FROM RISING STARTS TO CONTINENTAL ICONS
Over the past decade, FIBA U16 AfroBasket has done more than crown champions. It has introduced the world to Africa's future stars.
And among the many who have graced its courts, a few names have echoed the loudest, growing from raw potential into giants of the game.
Ehab Amin (Egypt)
Back in 2011, a young Ehab Amin lit up the U16 AfroBasket with a blend of speed, skill and sheer will.
His MVP title that year was just the beginning of a remarkable journey. The following year at the FIBA U17 World Cup, he stood tall against the world's best, leading Egypt in both scoring (15.7 PPG) and steals (2.4 SPG).
From U18 AfroBasket 2014 to AfroBasket 2021, where he averaged 17.5 points per game, to a stellar performance at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup (19.4 PPG), Amin has been Egypt's spark plug through thick and thin.
His trophy case includes a BAL championship, three Egyptian Premier League titles and an Arab Club crown. Today, as a national team guard, he is the symbol of Egypt's enduring school of excellence.
Anas Mahmoud (Egypt)
In the same golden class of 2011, another Egyptian rose: Anas Mahmoud, a forward with defensive instincts and a towering presence. His quiet dominance at the U16 AfroBasket and subsequent performance at the U17 World Cup helped solidify Egypt's youth dominance at the time.
Now a starter for Al Ittihad and a pillar of the Egyptian frontcourt, Mahmoud's influence has only grown. He has been selected to play in both the 2021 AfroBasket and the 2023 FIBA World Cup, making him one of the top centers in the region.
Silvio Sousa (Angola)
When Egypt went for a third title in 2013, it was Angola - and specifically Silvio Sousa - who slammed the door shut. With a monstrous 17 points and 19 rebounds in the final, Sousa didn't just give Angola its first and only U16 AfroBasket title. He also announced himself to the continent.
Promoted early to the senior national team, Sousa played in the 2017 FIBA AfroBasket, starred in the 2023 FIBA World Cup and remains central to Angola's ambitions after appearing in the 2024 Olympic qualifiers.
Siriman Kanoute (Mali)
If 2015 was heartbreaking for Mali, 2017 was healing. And Siriman Kanouté was the balm. With a mix of poise and playmaking, he delivered 17 points and 9 assists in the final against Egypt, leading Mali to its first-ever men's youth title. His MVP trophy came with an air of inevitability; Mali had found its floor general.
At just 19, he joined the senior national team for AfroBasket 2021, where he led the team in both scoring and assists. Now, fresh off a dominant run in the 2025 qualifiers, Kanoute is poised to shine again this August.
Sitraka Raharimanantoanina (Madagascar)
In 2017, Madagascar finished fifth in Mauritius. And Sitraka Raharimanantoanina made a loud statement, leading his team in rebounds (8.6 RPG) and blocks (3.1 BPG) and making opposing forwards question every shot in the paint.
After years under the radar, Raharimanantoanina burst back into the headlines during the 2025 AfroBasket Qualifiers, tying Senegal's Pape Dime with a record six blocks in a single game. He may not always be the flashiest name, but his impact is undeniable. He promises to be Madagascar's watchtower in Angola this coming August.
HOW THE U16 AFROBASKET CHAMPIONS FARED AT THE U17 WORLD CUP
The leap from Africa's courts to the world stage has never been easy. For the U16 AfroBasket champions, the FIBA U17 World Cup is where dreams stretch and reality bites.
In 2010, Africa's best landed in Germany and fought valiantly, but the gap was clear. Heavy losses to Serbia, USA and China left them reeling, but they found pride in a one-point win over South Korea to finish 10th.
Two years later in Lithuania, things got even tougher. The team couldn't manage a single win. Familiar opponents returned - China, France, USA - and history repeated itself. A heartbreaking one-point loss to Lithuania in the quarterfinals stung the most.
In 2014, Angola carried the flag. Their debut had sparks: a win over the Philippines and a final victory over Greece. But they settled for 11th place, their early promise dimmed by powerhouses like Canada and the USA.
In 2016, Egypt returned, but the spotlight was on them. After a solitary group win over Taipei, they slid into a series of defeats, even falling to Mali in the battle to avoid the bottom spot.
But 2018 was Mali's moment. A fiery win over China and a legendary triple-overtime thriller against the Dominican Republic, in which Oumar Ballo dropped 32 points, showed the world what they were made of. Though they finished 12th, they set hearts aflutter.
In 2022, Egypt finally cracked the top 10. Despite a rough start, they bounced back with wins over the Dominican Republic and New Zealand to finish 10th - their best finish to date.
Then came Guinea in 2024. With their recent crowning in Monastir, they were ready to take on the world. They stunned China in their opening match. Arafan Diane was unstoppable. Though big names like the USA and France shut them down, they fought their way to 14th place and never backed down, not even in a 105-101 rematch with China.
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