Cote d'Ivoire aiming at upsetting U16 African Championship hierarchy in Bamako

PARIS (France) - As the FIBA U16 African Championship is nearing, Cote d'Ivoire head coach Michael Toti is setting the bar high for a generation that he hopes can become the feeder of the Ivorian's senior team.

Two years ago, the 'Elephants' finished ninth in the ten-nation tournament in Praia, Cape Verde after registering a 1-4 mark thanks to a 63-51 triumph over Algeria in the Classification Round.

"IF WE CAN GET EVERYONE TO WORK TOGETHER TOWARDS THE SAME GOAL, WE CAN LOOK TO FINISH IN THE TOP-6 AT THIS YEAR'S EDITION OF THE U16 AFRICAN CHAMPIONSHIP."
- Michael Toti

Numbers don't lie, but yet, Cote d'Ivoire sometimes lacked a little bit of success, especially against Guinea and Rwanda, when they needed only three points to call victory their own.

Toti, who spearheads the build-up to the continental showdown, has plans that go far beyond the upcoming FIBA U16 African Championship, in Bamako, Mali, as the young players that will compete in the Malian capital city, from August, 6-15, will be facing their first international competition.

"There will be a double objective for us in Bamako," Toti says, speaking to FIBA.basketball.

The first thing will be to measure whatever gap there is that separates Cote d'Ivoire from continental powerhouses Mali and Egypt.

"These countries have been to high-level competitions. And if there is no gap between our respective countries, we'd like to upset the hierarchy that has settled in over the past years in the U16 category," he adds.

Michael Toti, who was Cote d'Ivoire's point guard, is now in charge of his country's U16 national team

Egypt and Mali have set up an establishment, with the former being the reigning champions and record holder, with four continental trophies brought home, while Mali claims only one.

"We know these two countries are at the top. But maybe with time we could slip in between them and claim a top-3 or top-4 finish."

Recalling the 2019 adventure, coach Toti says that being ninth overall has had some advantages, such as creating awareness around the U16 squad.

"We have a Federation that wants us to progress and be in Africa's top spots from the young categories. And everyone wants to be in the good wagon. So, now, we have a better structure for training and development."

For the past weeks, the young players have been called to train under the national jersey. And this helps more than one thinks, Toti notes:  "We can have a plan to start with. And it helps us spot the best talents who in turn will strengthen the squad."

Based on what he's seen from the training sessions, the former Cote d'Ivoire international player believes that the young 'Elephants' can move up the ladder in Bamako. But to make things happen, Cote d'Ivoire must move one step at a time.

 
"Sure we want to be among the top of the class. Who doesn't? But first, we must work on our weaknesses, and see where we need to get better. And if we can get everyone to work together towards the same goal, we can probably look to finish in the top-6 at this year’s edition of the U16 African Championship." 

With a young squad that has had no runs on the continent comes the risk of being discouraged from continuing the basketball adventure.

But rather than being afraid of failure, coach Toti wants to capitalize on what the players can achieve. "I told the players that things wouldn't be easy; that some teams have much more experience than we have. But I also told them that they should not be impressed, but to learn from such encounters and make the most of their time on the court. It is the only way for them to progress."

Cote d'Ivoire v Rwanda in Praia, Cape Verde

Toti recognizes that youth tournaments can and do improve a player's tactical and technical skills. So he plans on using his personal experience to get things in marching order.

"I remember as a player, I used to think about how my opponents were better than me and how I worked harder each time. So this is exactly the state of mind I want to inculcate to the youngsters."

When Toti talks about going beyond Bamako and the U16 tournament, he is speaking about promoting young hopefuls to the ranks of the national senior squad.

"It is a process that will take time. But we'd be so proud to have a senior squad who has made it through the U16 and U18 phases."

Right now, Cote d’Ivoire is surfing on the wave that has brought together youth and basketball. And this is exactly what is needed to see the young players perform at their level best.

"We want to give them the keys to their success. They have that positive energy that drives a group towards a common goal. And I told them that I personally never played with the U16, and I would have loved to do that as a player."

Cote d'Ivoire's only triumph two years ago came Algeria

Plus, having a senior squad that comes from the younger categories would validate the work behind the scenes to make sure basketball is more than just a sport in Cote d'Ivoire.

"The coaches who are working on the training and development programs deserve recognition for their job. Having some players from the youth teams would give them the credit they deserve."

 FIBA