Published: July 18, 2025
Paynesville — Liberia closed its campaign in the FIBA Africa Zone 3 U16 Boys and Girls AfroBasket Qualifiers on a high note Wednesday, securing consecutive victories over Benin at the Samuel Kanyon Doe (SKD) Gymnasium.
The U16 girls’ team clinched its first and only win of the tournament, edging Benin 47–44 in a tightly contested matchup. The result provided a much-needed morale boost for the squad, which finished with a 1–3 record.
On the boys’ side, Liberia delivered a dominant performance, routing Benin 87–35 to claim its second win of the qualifiers—both against the same opponent. The boys wrapped up their campaign with a 2–2 record, finishing second in the group standings.
Meanwhile, Côte d’Ivoire’s boys’ and girls’ teams punched their tickets to the 2025 FIBA U16 AfroBasket Championship, scheduled for Sept. 2–14 in Kigali, Rwanda. The Ivorians completed an unbeaten run in Paynesville, dismantling Benin 98–20 and 99–22 in their two-game series, and edging host Liberia 78–68 and 54–43 in competitive contests.
Led by standout performer Jean Philippe Oka, Côte d’Ivoire now prepares to represent Zone 3 at the continental showdown in Kigali.
This marks the second time in less than a year that Liberia has hosted a major FIBA Zone 3 event. In November 2024, the nation staged the women’s qualifiers for the FIBA Africa Women’s Basketball League.
Liberia’s successful hosting of back-to-back international tournaments signals a strong push to reclaim its place in regional basketball after years of FIBA sanctions.
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