Guinea Upset Egypt to Win 2023 Fiba U16 Boys African Championship

24 July 2023
The New Times (Kigali)
By Damas Sikubwabo

Sunday

Final

Guinea 84-76 Egypt

Guinea on Sunday, July 23, claimed the 2023 FIBA U16 boys African Championship, their first ever, ending Mali and Egypt's decade-long dominance on the continental stage.

The West Africans achieved the milestone after beating Egypt 84-76 in the final to take home the 2023 edition which concluded in Monastir, Tunisia.

It's the first time - since 2013 - that a team, other than Egypt or Mali, has won the continental silverware.

Angola, who won the tournament a decade ago, finished fourth this time round while Guinea won the FIBA U16 African Championship in their first appearance in the final.

The 84-76 triumph was Guinea's second victory over Egypt in this year's tournament, having again beaten the Pharaohs 83-78 earlier in the Group Phase.

ALSO READ: FIBA U16 Afrobasket: Malian girls bag eighth consecutive championship

Five-time winners Egypt were leading 48-44 at the break; they enjoyed a 15-point lead in the third quarter, but Guinea responded with a 26-0 run in the fourth quarter to shock Egypt, and, deservedly, clinch their first-ever African championship title.

Guinea's shooting guard Karanmadi Gassama led the floor with 25 points, Nour Gassim Toure added 22, and Araphan Diane recorded his seventh straight double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds.

Ali Assran led Egypt with 17 points while the duo of Mohamed Wael and Nour Elsawy scored 14 points apiece.

Guinea closed the 2023 FIBA U16 African Championship with a 7-0 record while Egypt return home with a 5-2 mark.

Meanwhile, on the day that Guinea shocked Egypt to win their first-ever FIBA U16 African Championship, Nour Gassim Toure was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player (MVP).

His contribution throughout the ten-day event in the Tunisian coastal city of Monastir was out of this world.

The 14-year-old came up with 22 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists to rescue Guinea from a 15-point deficit and upset Egypt 84-76.

Overall, Toure, a point guard with an impressive skillset, averaged 20 points, 8.1 rebounds and 8.1 assists in seven games.

Toure was joined in the All-Tournament Team by his teammate Araphan Diane, Egypt's Mohamed Wael Shahin, Mahamadou dit Kouye Diop of Mali and Moroccan Rayane Solhi.

Araphan Diane was one of the tournament's top performers as he recorded seven double-doubles in as many games.

In the decisive final, the 2.03m (6ft 8in) center contributed 14 points, 11 rebounds and 4 assists to leave his mark in the history of the U16 African Championship.

Diane averaged 17.4 points, 17.3 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game.

Mohamed Wael Shahin contributed 11.4 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game; Rayane Solhi was one of the leading scorers, averaging 19.3 points per game and Mali's Mahamadou dit Kouye Diop logged 12.6 points and 15 rebounds per game.

Rwanda took home the Fair Play award.

Read the original article on New Times.

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