Afrobasket 2021 Preview (The Outsiders)

Nigeria

Nigeria has cemented itself as a giant of African basketball over the last decade. Capitalising on a mix
of local talent and players from the Nigerian diaspora, who’ve plied their trade in the NCAA, NBA
and across Europe, the D’Tigers, won their first Afrobasket title in 2015, which was followed by a
silver medal at the 2017 competition. Along the way, Nigeria secured three Olympic berths in 2012,
2016 and 2020 and also participated at the 2019 FIBA World Cup. Players such as Ike Diogu,
Chamberlain Oguchi, Al-Farouq Aminu and Ben Uzoh formed the core of a side which helped to
propel Nigeria to the heights of African and global basketball.
However, a new dawn is rising in the Tigers den, with the aforementioned quartet, having seemingly
closed their chapter with the national team. Individuals such as 2021 NBA champion Jordan Nwora (Milwaukee Bukcs),
Precious Achiuwa (Toronto Raptors), Desmond Bane (Memphis Grizzles) and KZ Okapala (Miami
Heat) as well as a host of young and upcoming players will likely carry the torch of success
throughout the decade for Nigeria. Their promise was shown when Nigeria registered a historic 90-
87 win over the Team USA in the lead up to the Olympics. Unfortunately, Nigeria could not replicate
this success at the tournament losing all three fixtures, albeit, in a hard fought manner.
Nevertheless, while the future is certainly bright for the D’Tigers, we will see a completely new set of
players turnout for Nigeria this Afrobasket as none of the players selected, have suited up for Nigeria
at their last three international competitions. A variety of reasons, ranging from contractual obligations, scheduling clashes and disputes with Nigerian sporting authorities have been advanced for the team shake up. Sharp shooting Stephen Domingo, a former U-17 world champion with the US and currently with the G-League Lakeland Magic, will likely be the go to scorer, while Ben Emelogu who plays for Avtodor in Russia’s VTB United League will also be a go to player. Mike Brown, who has been in charge since 2019, will lead the D’Tigers into battle. Despite a short
preparation, Brown, who has the pedigree of having coached Lebron James, Stephen Curry and the
late great Kobe Bryant, remains confident in his teams chances of securing a medal.

Whose Missing: The 2020 Olympic team, Spencer Dinwiddie (Washington Wizards) and
Monte Morris (Denver Nuggets)

Prediction: It’s a toss up. Nigeria can end up anywhere from between quarterfinalists to
making the finals. While they are less star studded and cohesive than Senegal and Tunisia, they have
sufficient quality to ruffle enough feathers.

Côte d’Ivoire

Côte d’Ivoire is a team which doesn’t generate a lot of attention but somehow always finds
themselves in the mix of things. “Les Elephants” were Afrobasket finalists in 2009 and finished fourth
when they hosted in 2013. Côte d’Ivoire also has a fair amount of recent international pedigree,
qualifying for the 2010 and 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cups. Côte d’Ivoire, which finished 6-0
during qualifiers will have a host of players who can make the difference in Kigali. The newest
addition, Matthew Costello, who plays for Baskonia in the Liga ACB and was previously at Michigan
State and with NBA’s San Antonio Spurs, will provide a great scoring and defensive punch for the
Ivorians. Souleyman Diabate, who has played the bulk of his career in France but won the inaugural
Basketball Africa League (BAL) tournament with Egyptian giants Zamalek, will also play a key role
during the tournament. Veterans such as Guy Landry Edi a former Gonzaga University product and 41 year old Stephane Konate, who made his Afrobasket debut in 2003, will provide invaluable experience for the Ivorians.

Predictions: Côte d’Ivoire is a solid side which should fare well against Mali and Kenya, while the
Nigeria match might be up for grabs. A quarterfinals spot is more or less in the bag.

Cameroon

Over the last 20 years, Cameroon has emerged as a one of the harvesting grounds for basketball
players on the continent and alongside Nigeria and Senegal, has significantly benefitted from US and
European basketball development structures. Despite the immense talent Cameroon continues to
produce, this has not translated into success at the national team level. After their silver medal in
2007, Cameroon’s best rankings at Afrobasket, were fifth in 2013 and 2017.

Cameroon finished the Afrobasket qualifiers 4-2, and heads into the competition with a roster is
completely changed from the 2017 edition, bringing back only two players. Cameroon will look to
the experienced trio of two time French Pro A champion, Jeremy Nzeulie who spent last season in
the league with Boulazac Basket Dordogne, former University of Miami standout Kenneth Kadji who
just signed for Pro A side BCM Gravelines-Dunkerque and Ben Mbala, who averaged 21.8 points at Afrobasket 2017, and is currently with Aix Maurienne Savoie Basket in the French Pro B. Cameroon will be missing
the inside presence of former G-League defensive player of the year Landry Nnoko, who won the
Serbian and Adriatic League in 2021 and just signed with of the Liga ACB side Saski Baskonia.
However, the frontcourt duo of Williams Narace, Pro A player with Nancy and 21 year old
Jordan Bayehe of St Bernando Cantu in the Italian Serie A, might palliate his absence. Bayehe averaged 11 points and 6
rebounds during qualifiers and will be a player to watch out for.

Off the bench, Cameroon will be led by Lazare Adie Ngono, who had NCAA division one coaching
experience before embarking on career in Africa. After leading Petro Luanda to several domestic and
continental titles, Adie Ngono, who most recently coached Cameroon’s FAP Basketball at the BAL
competition, hopes to replicate the runner-up finish he engineered in 2007. He will be assisted by
former UCLA standout, and three time NCAA Final Four participant, Alfred Aboya, who played on
that 2007 team and is currently director of player development for Iowa Wolves in the NBA G-
League.

Whose Missing: Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers), Pascal Siakam (Toronto Raptors), Landry
Nnoko (Saski Baskonia), Jonathan Tchatchoua (Baylor University) and Paul Eboua (Brescia).

Prediction: Cameroon has enough talent to make quarterfinals, anything beyond that would
be an overachievement (the article was initially written before Cameroon was forced to forfeit their first game against South Sudan due to Covid-19 protocols)

Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

DRC is another country which has a notoriety for producing top African basketball talent, such as the
legendary NBA Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo, unfortunately, this has not translated into success
for the national side, as the DRC has been fairly anonymous on the continental basketball scene.
However, after an impressive performance at Afrobasket 2017, which saw them finish sixth and
defeat Nigeria in group play, which was followed by their victory at the inaugural AfroCan
tournament in 2019, this might be the DRC’s chance to state their case as one of Africa’s foremost
national teams.

Eric Kibi and Joël Ntambwe will likely be the stand out players for the Leopards throughout this
tournament. Kibi, who was MVP of the AfroCan tournament has been a journeyman, playing across
several lower tier European leagues and is currently based in Canada. Ntambwe, played two seasons
of NCAA basketball initially at UNLV and subsequently at Texas Tech, from where he decided to leave
for personal reasons in 2020. Ntambwe is a relatively good scorer and will be a much needed offense
boost for this DRC side. Ntambwe is also the elder brother of the 7th pick in the 2021 NBA Draft,
Jonathan Kuminga and cousin of former NBA player Emmanuel Mudiay.

DRC coach Mathias Eckhoff, who won Afrobasket 2015, while serving as an assistant for Nigeria, has
been dealt a tough hand, with the absence of several key players. Myck Kabongo a former University
of Texas product and ex-NBA G-League player whose currently with the Cape Town Tigers in South
Africa, would have the DRC player to watch out for, especially after averaging 14.5 points per game
at the 2017 edition. However, disagreements with Congolese sporting authorities saw Kabongo
leave camp on the eve of the tournament. Team veterans Ruphin Kayembe, Evariste Shonganya and
Hervé Kabasele Ruphin will all be absent from the tournament. Nevertheless, DRC won and lost to
Côte d’Ivoire during friendly games in Tunisia and still possess sufficient quality to put on a good
show at Afrobasket.

Whose Missing: Bismarck Biyombo (Charlotte Hornets), Emmanuel Mudiay (Žalgiris
Kaunas) Jonathan Kuminga (Golden State Warriors).

Prediction: In their group, hosts Rwanda and Cape Verde have interesting sides, but the DRC
should make it to the quarterfinals, unless things really fall apart….which is a real possibility.