Can Algeria upset Tunisia in the race for 2023 AfroCan?
The winner of this regional qualifier will be added to Group C alongside Morocco and the winner of the Africa Zone 5.
ALGIERS (Algeria) - Algeria will host Tunisia in Algiers in an attempt to qualify for the 2023 FIBA AfroCan to be held next month in Angola.
In the absence of Libya and with Morocco who qualified automatically for the Final Round of the AfroCan this FIBA Africa Zone 1 Qualifiers will see Algeria take on Tunisia in a two-game series.
WATCH LIVE - ALGERIA v TUNISIA (18:00 Local Time; 17:00 UTC)
Game 1 will be played on Friday, June 23 while the second one will follow on Sunday, June 25. Both games will be played in the Algerian capital.
The winner of this regional qualifier will be added to Group C alongside Morocco and the winner of the Africa Zone 5 qualifiers.
For the Tunisians who had a disappointing 2023 World Cup African Qualifiers campaign this is an opportunity to start the team's rebuilding process.
And, no-one better than Evansville University standout Yacine Toumi to lead Tunisia to victory.
In addition to Toumi, Tunisia selected rising stars Oussama Marnaoui, Achref Ganouni and added veterans Firas Lahiani and Mokthar Ghayaza.
Yacine Toumi
Tunisia presents a tough challenge, admits Algeria forward Kamel Ammour.
"Tunisia is a tough team, but we must beat them," Ammour insisted in an exclusive interview with FIBA.basketball.
"For now our focus and goal is to play good basketball on Friday and win the first game."
Ammour knows what he is talking about because the last time Algeria and Tunisia faced off at the 2019 AfroCan in Bamako, Tunisia prevailed 68-67 in the battle for the seventh place.
Algeria v Tunisia in action at 2019 AfroCan
Ammour didn't play in that game in the Malian capital, but this elimination series means so much to him that when Algeria coach Ahmed Bendjabou reached out the France-based Ammour didn't hesitate to accept the invitation of playing for his country again.
"I am really excited to play Tunisia. I have never won against them at official games. Hopefully, it'll be this time. This is weekend is going to be my weekend," a confident Ammour said.
But Algeria will miss lethal scorer Abdellah Hamdini who is recovering from a knee injury.
"It's a big loss for us, but that's what basketball is like. We have good players who can step up. With Abdallah or without him, we'll try to play good basketball, execute our game-plan. We are ready for this game," Ammour stressed.
For Algeria, returning to the AfroCan would be a second chance to compete in Africa after they pulled out of the 2021 AfroBasket Qualifiers.
Kamel Ammour
For Algeria, returning to the AfroCan would be a second chance to compete in Africa after they pulled out of the 2021 AfroBasket Qualifiers.
"These are really important games for us because we might not play at the next AfroBasket. We want to be in that competition," Ammour said.
"We want to make it to the AfroCan. After that, it's up to the Federation to put this team in a position to try to qualify for the next AfroBasket."
Looking ahead of the two-game series, Ammour said that "Many fans will show up for the games. It's important that we play well. We appreciate that Tunisia is a good team, but with our home fans anything is possible. We'll try to play our game and win it."
The 2023 FIBA AfroCan will take place in Angola between July 8-16.
FIBA