Published: July 14, 2025
PAYNESVILLE — Liberia’s U-16 boys national basketball team delivered a commanding performance Saturday, defeating Benin 98–38 to claim their first win at the 2025 FIBA Africa Zone 3 U-16 AfroBasket Qualifiers.
The 60-point rout at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Gymnasium in Paynesville marked a major turnaround for the home side, who had suffered a heavy loss to Ivory Coast in their tournament opener on Friday.
Liberia jumped out to an early 18–8 lead in the first quarter and blanked Benin in the second to enter halftime up 38–18. Though Benin briefly responded with a 15-point third quarter, Liberia surged ahead and limited them to just five points in the final period to seal the blowout victory.
The win keeps Liberia’s hopes alive for qualification to the 2025 AfroBasket Youth Championship, scheduled for September in Kigali, Rwanda.
Girls Fall Short Again
The mood was more somber on the girls’ side, where Liberia’s U-16 team fell to Benin in a closely contested 53–47 match. The loss marks their second straight defeat of the qualifiers, despite visible improvements from their opening-day loss to Ivory Coast.
On Friday, both Liberian teams opened their campaigns against a dominant Ivorian squad. Ivory Coast cruised past Liberia in both games, winning 98–20 in the boys’ fixture and 73–31 in the girls’ matchup.
What’s Next
Match Day 3 resumes Tuesday, July 14, with Liberia set to face Ivory Coast again in both divisions — a chance to redeem themselves against the region’s top seed. Benin will return to action Monday, July 13, against Ivory Coast in another critical showdown.
Ivory Coast currently leads the standings after back-to-back wins in both categories and is widely viewed as the team to beat in the qualifiers.
The FIBA Zone 3 tournament features three countries — Liberia, Benin, and Ivory Coast — competing for a coveted spot at the continental championship in Rwanda.
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