After a six-year hiatus, Tunisia is ardently preparing to return to the FIBA U18 AfroBasket, having missed the last two editions. The North African team, which secured a seventh-place finish in the 11-team competition in 2018 in Bamako, has been actively working to end their drought.
With a series of training camps culminating in the last week of June, Tunisia is set on fine-tuning their preparations for a triumphant return.
A cohort of 16 players, many of whom were integral to the team that clinched fourth place at last year’s U16 AfroBasket on home soil, has been selected. This intensive preparation comes ahead of the 2024 FIBA Africa Qualifiers for Zone 1 countries, which Tunisia will host from July 11 to 14.
The hosts face a challenging path to the 2024 FIBA U18 AfroBasket Finals, slated for August in South Africa, as they will need to overcome their North African rivals, Algeria and Morocco.
The Tunisian squad is determined to make an impactful return to the biennial event. Hichem Ezzahi, the new coach of the U18 team, has been at the forefront of these efforts, orchestrating a series of regroupings to optimize their chances of making it to South Africa.
“This is the third training camp of the year for these youngsters. These three training camps have given everyone a chance to express themselves within the existing structure,” Ezzahi explained.
Prominent among the squad are players like Idriss Toumi, who averaged 5 points and 3.6 rebounds during the U16 tournament last year, Elyas Zaabar (4.4 points, 2.2 rebounds), and Hamza Masrouki, who made a significant impact with an average of 11.6 points and 5 rebounds. These young athletes are poised to lead Tunisia’s charge in the upcoming qualifiers.
Ezzahi, working closely with national men’s coach Mehdi Mery, aims to bring a fresh and dynamic style of play to the Tunisian team. “I took over the group rather recently. With the help of coach Mery, we’re trying to instill a new way of playing in the youth teams,” Ezzahi noted.
As part of this new approach, Tunisia will be shifting from their traditionally composed game to a faster, more aggressive style. “This is the face we hope to show during the Zone 1 Qualifiers and our future appearances,” he added.
The stakes are high for this Tunisian team, desperate to make a comeback to the AfroBasket U18. “It is inevitable! We’ll be playing in front of our home crowd. And it’ll be a first for me at this level. We’ll need to perform well,” Ezzahi remarked, acknowledging the pressure that comes with hosting the qualifiers.
Ezzahi believes that this squad has the potential to follow in the footsteps of their illustrious predecessors. “We’ve noticed that the youth teams have taken a back seat to the seniors.
But that’s something that’s going to change. It has to if we want to have a senior team that is competitive again,” he concluded.
With the training camps behind them and a renewed strategy in place, Tunisia is ready to embark on their journey to end their six-year drought and make a strong statement in the upcoming FIBA U18 AfroBasket.
The nation’s basketball enthusiasts eagerly await the team’s performance, hoping for a return to glory on the continental stage.
Source: FIBA
