The FIBA Africa Pre-Olympic qualifying tournament concluded in Lagos on Sunday, with Cameroon emerging as the victors.

12 teams competed in Lagos, including the host nation Nigeria, unfortunately, D’Tigers suffered an early exit from the competition, failing to progress beyond the group stage.

Under the leadership of Ogor Odaudu, D’Tigers suffered defeats against Senegal and Mali in quick succession, leading to their elimination from the tournament.

Senegal, considered one of the favorites in the competition, faced Cameroon in the final showdown.

The final match was a closely contested affair, with the first quarter ending in a tie at 25-25.

However, Cameroon gained control in the second quarter, establishing a 10-point lead with a score of 43-33.

Despite Senegal’s efforts to rally back in the third quarter, they couldn’t bridge the gap, and Cameroon ultimately secured an 80-74 victory.

This triumph for Cameroon means they have earned the right to progress further in the Olympic qualifying process, representing Africa on the international stage.

Cameroon coach, Alfred Roland Abiya Baliaba, after his team’s win over Senegal said that, “I’ve never been prouder of a group of guys as I am of them. They’re fighters. I’ve been in the game of basketball for sometimes now and you see that in every game.

“It’s about momentum shift. You get the momentum, one action will happen and then the momentum shift goes to the other team. You just got to not let your lows get you too low or your highs get you too high.

“So you got to stay constant. That’s what I’m trying to be and that’s the message that I’m portraying to my players.

“And they just stay the course and believe in themselves. When you believe in yourself, good things will happen.”