2025 Men’s Afrobasket Qualifiers: Cameroon Produces Laudable Performance

The final window of the 2025 AfroBasket qualifiers concluded on February 23, 2025 with Cameroon losing to Senegal 76-83 in the last Group C game in Rabat, Morocco. This defeat came after Lions had already secured their ticket for Luanda-Angola, the host of this year’s Afrobasket championship to be staged in August. This was thanks to their victory over Gabon in the opening game of the final window. While the Lions celebrate their qualification, a closer look at their performance reveals a balance sheet of both successes and areas for improvement. Cameroon’s primary achievement is undoubtedly their qualification for the continental tournament. Finishing second in Group C with a 4-2 record is a significant accomplishment. Victories against Rwanda and Gabon, to and fro, demonstrated their strength and consistency against these opponents. Furthermore, their positive point differential of +38 (473 points scored, 435 points conceded) underscores their offensive capabilities and overall competitive spirit. This positive margin suggests a team capable of scoring effectively and generally keeping opponents at bay. The emergence of players like Jeremiah Hill, who averaged 12 points, 7.2 assists, and 5.5 rebounds across six games, provides a solid foundation for their Afrobasket campaign. Despite the qualification, Cameroon's performance reveals some critical weaknesses. Their two losses against Senegal in both windows exposed a significant challenge: they were unable to overcome the physicality and size of their West African rivals; failing to top the group. As Cameroon forward William Narace and Coach Alfred Aboya acknowledged, the team struggled with rebounding against Senegal, a crucial aspect...