Tunisia overcome Ivory Coast to retain AfroBasket crown

Cedric Bah

Ivory Coast's Cedric Bah (centre) attempts to make a basket against Tunisia during their final match of the 2021 Fiba AfroBasket Championship at Kigali Arena in Rwanda on September 5, 2021.

Photo credit: Joseph Kanyi | Nation Media Group

What you need to know:

  • The two finalists displayed experience and high quality performance at the 30th edition of the Africa basketball championship.
  • The match was close with the Ivorian Elephants taking a sevens points lead in the first quarter.

In Kigali

Champions Tunisia defeated Ivory Coast 78-75 to retain their Fiba AfroBasket crown in the final held Sunday here at the Kigali Arena.

Tunisia trailed in the first two quarters 18-25 and 16-22, but hit back to outscore the West Africans in the last two quarters 25-18 and 16-13.

The two finalists displayed experience and high quality performance at the 30th edition of the Africa basketball championship.

The match was close with the Ivorian Elephants taking a sevens points lead in the first quarter.

By halftime, Ivory Coast led 47-34. However, the champions returned stronger in the last two quarters as Salah Mejri scored a game high 22 points as the North Africans completed a remarkable comeback.

Tunisia started their campaign by easing past Guinea 86-46 in the first match of the tournament.

They proceeded to tear up five time continental winners Egypt, Central African Republic to rest top in Group B and advance with authority to quarterfinals.

In the quarters, they sailed past newcomers South Sudan 80-65 and advance to the last four.

In the semifinal, Tunisia met with the Group A top performers Cape Verde and the former secured a 75-65 win.

Gorgui Dieng scored 30 points for Senegal as they beat Cape Verde in the third place playoffs 86-73.

The Bonface Ndong’s coached side had 45 rebounds, 27 assists and eight steals.