26th Afrobasket: Tunisia Road to Glory - Aug 31, 2011 (by Olusegun Ikuesan)
Tunisia senior national team Africa new Lord of the Rim began its quest to rule the slamming and dunking on August 18, 2011 in Group-D the group that comprises Central Africa Republic, Rwanda and Togo [read more]
Tunisia senior national team Africa new Lord of the Rim began its quest to rule the slamming and dunking on August 18, 2011 in Group-D the group that comprises Central Africa Republic, Rwanda and Togo.
The Coach Adel Tlatli tutored side started with a 103 56 points spanking of new comer Togo a results that set them on the road to the podium two days later (August 20) the Tunisia again took the centre stage with a 69 37 points wroughting of Rwanda and completed its unbeaten run with a 65 52 points victory over Central Africa Republic on August 22.
Having qualified as the leader of group-D the magreb nation was pitched against last team from group-B South Africa whom it decision with ease by 94 50 points in the Eight Final Round or second round the Tunisian continue from where they left off with an 86 67 points victory over fellow North African Morocco on August 25.
It was the turn of 2009 edition runner-up Cote dIvoire to be dispatched by the Tunisian on its road to glory in the semi finals as it recorded a slim 60 57 points win over the FIBA Africa Zone-3 side in a pulsating game on Saturday August 27 a win which set up against Ten-time champion Angola who stopped its ambition in the semi-final of the 2009 edition in Tripoli, Libya.
Tunisia who made it to the 2010 FIBA World Championship for the first time having conquered Cameroon in the third place game was set to take its pound of flesh against its 2009 semi final foe Angola in the grand finale at the packed full Palais des Sport arena in Antananarivo, Madagascar.
Ranked 37 in the world and 5th in Africa, Tunisia surely knows that the winner get automatic ticket to the London 2012 Olympic Games Tunisia went out against the former champion, Angola ranked 13th in the world and number one in Africa from the jump-ball to the buzzer winning three of the four quarters to take its first African title by 67-56 points leaving Angola and Nigeria two Africa basketball giant to try their luck in the playoffs of the basketball event of the 2012 Olympic Games.
Tunisia did not stop at winning the Special 2011 Afrobasket as the continental ruling body FIBA Africa marked its 50th years of it existence annexed almost all the available individual honours as three of its players made the continental Top-5 with Salah Mejri who recently penned down a deal at Antwerp basketball club of Belgium among the Top-5. Mejri also claim the 2011 Afrobasket Most Valuable Player award displacing Joaquim Gomes of Angola.
Other Tunisian players who mounted the podium as Africa Top-5 award winner include power forward Macram Ben Romdhane and point guard Marouan Kechrid while Nigeria Ime Udoka and Angola Carlos Morais completing the Top-5 honour roster. Senegalese duo Mouhammad Faye and Malick Badiane won the highest scorer, highest three pointer and highest rebounder awards.
Best Player: Salah Mejri (216-C-86) of Tunisia
Best Guard: Carlos Morais (190-G-85) of Angola
Best Forward: Mouhammad Faye (208-F-85) of Senegal
Best Center: Salah Mejri of Tunisia
1st Team
PG: Marouana Kechrid (178-81) of Tunisia
G: Carlos Morais (190-85) of Angola
F/G: Ime Udoka (196-77) of Nigeria
F: Mouhammad Faye (208-85) of Senegal
C: Salah Mejri (216-86) of Tunisia
2nd Team
P [read more]
Final Day with stats: Tunisia wins the Gold - Aug 28, 2011 (by Eurobasket News)
FINAL
Angola - Tunisia 56-67
Tunisia make good its desire to be at the London 2012 Olympic Games when it dethrone perennial champion Angola in a tension soaked grand finale of the 26th edition of the FIBA Africa Championship for Men Sunday night at the Palais des Sports Antananarivo, Madagascar [read more]
FINAL
Angola - Tunisia 56-67 Tunisia make good its desire to be at the London 2012 Olympic Games when it dethrone perennial champion Angola in a tension soaked grand finale of the 26th edition of the FIBA Africa Championship for Men Sunday night at the Palais des Sports Antananarivo, Madagascar. The Tunisia out played the former champion in a department of the game with clinical finishes that made the Angolan to make several mistakes causing them to trail at the end of first by 11 points of 09-21, effort to mount pressure on the Tunisia in the second quarter could only yeild them a point gain of 20-19. The new champion roar back in the third quarter as the most decorated African team lost in the third quarter agains by 12-14 points to go into last quarter with a 13 points deficit of 41-54 Angola however manage to snatch the last quarter by 15-13 points but the rally was too late to save them from defeat as they drop the Africa title after six unbroken run since 1999 when they reclaim the title on home court after losing out in 1997 edition in Dakar, Senegal. Tunisia Marouana Kechrid (178-PG-81) led his challenge for glory with 21 points, 7 rebounds and 2 assist, Mohamed Hadidane (206-F-86) poured in 19 points, grabbed 7 rebounds and 2 steals while Amine Rzig (199-G-80) added 14 points, 3 rebounds and 2 steals with the new lord of rim Salah Mejri (216-C-86) grabbing 15 rebounds to give the FIBA Africa Zone-1 side a well deserve victory. *By Olusegun Ikuesan
Third place
Nigeria - Ivory Coast 77-67 Nigeria senior national team, DTigers Sunday defeated 2009 runner-up Cote DIvoire by 77-67 to finish third and a slot for London 2012 Olympic Games playoffs. The Nigerian side who put behind the semi-final lose to Angola Saturday rose to the challenge with a 20-17 and 20-10 points win in the first and second quarters to take a 13 points lead going into the break. Nigeria was however, slowed down in the third quarter by the Ivoriens who back to pick the quarter by 18-23 but it was the Coach Ayo Bakare tutored Nigerian side that carried the day as the romp on to a 19-17 points win in the fourt quarter to emd the series with bronze medal after two championship misses in 2007 and 2009 where Nigeria best was 5th placement. With the third place finish in the 26th edition in Antananarivo, Madagascar Nigeria has earned for itself a Pre-Olympic Games ticket in a yet to be named venue. Nigeria Derrick Obasohan (199-F-81, agency: Beo Basket, college: Texas Arlington) led his team quest for honours with 19 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists, Michael Umeh (188-G-84, agency: Pro One Sports, college: UNLV) had 14 points, 8 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 assists while the duo pf Ikechukwu Ofoegbu (205-F-85, agency: Paris Global Sports, college: SMU) and Ejike Ugboaja added 13 points, 5 rebounds and 11 points, 10 rebounds. *By Olusegun Ikuesan
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