2021 Afrobasket: Defending Champions, Tunisia To Face Ivory Coast In Today's Final

2021 Afrobasket: Defending Champions, Tunisia To Face Ivory Coast In Today's Final By Our Reporter Tunisia will defend their Afrobasket title against Ivory Coast in Sunday’s final after both teams won their semi-finals. The North Africans were the first through, seeing off a Cape Verde (75-65) side bidding to reach the final for the first time. Later, Ivory Coast registered the same scoreline when beating Senegal, meaning the decider will be hard to call. Sunday’s final will be played in the Rwandan capital Kigali, which has been hosting the tournament throughout. Tunisia, for whom captain Makram Ben Romdhane led the way with 16 points and 10 rebounds, went behind in the first quarter only to bounce back and never lose the lead again. Cape Verde won the fourth quarter to narrow the gap but it was too little too late. “We lacked some international experience,” said Cape Verde coach Emanuel Trovoada afterwads. “Some of our players were playing an international basketball semi-final for the first time. It’s up to us to reflect and improve.” Even though the Ivorians have won two titles to Senegal’s five, the former have to hold their West African rivals at Afrobasket where they lead 5-3 in their encounters over the years. Saturday’s win was sweet for long-standing Ivory Coast coach Ignacio Lezcano Moya, with the Spaniard contesting – and losing – two semis back in 2011, the year he took charge, and 2013. However, he has now led the team to their first final since 2009 and only their second since winning the title in 1985, a success which came four years after their first win. Despite appearing in their first Afrobasket back in the 1960s, Tunisia had to wait until 2011 before lifting the trophy – a scenario they repeated in 2017. Before an intriguing final, Cape Verde will try to finish third – just as they did back in 2007 – when taking on Senegal, also on Sunday in Kigali.