There was no comfortable passage to the Final for Côte d’Ivoire, as Cameroon made sure of that by pushing them throughout a tense, physical Semi-Final contest in Abidjan that went down to the wire late.
Last Updated on
August 16, 2026
With the game tightening, possessions becoming heavier and a place in the FIBA U18 AfroBasket 2026 title game was within touching distance. Hosts Côte d’Ivoire found enough answers to grind out a 62-57 Semi-Final victory at the Palais des Sports de Treichville in Abidjan.
Côte d’Ivoire are now one victory away from the continental title, while Cameroon must turn their attention to the Third-Place Game after seeing their championship hopes end in a contest that remained alive deep into the fourth quarter.
Nathan Djako gave the hosts the scoring punch they needed, coming off the bench to finish with a game-high 17 points in only 18 minutes and 31 seconds.
His contribution reflected one of the biggest differences between the teams.
Côte d’Ivoire's bench delivered 38 points to Cameroon's 24, allowing the hosts to keep finding production on a night when neither side shot the ball particularly well.
Djako made five of 12 attempts from the floor, including two three-pointers, and converted five of seven free throws. Karl-Randell Kouame-Zeze joined him in double figures with 11 points, while Jean-Philippe Oka added eight.
The hosts had started brightly, taking the opening quarter 16-10, but Cameroon were never going to allow their Semi-Final to disappear quietly.
They responded with their best offensive quarter of the night, scoring 22 points in the second period against Côte d’Ivoire's 19. That cut the hosts' advantage to 35-32 at halftime and ensured there would be little room for comfort after the break.
It was also a first half in which control frequently changed hands. The game produced 11 lead changes and three ties overall, with Cameroon leading for 7:46 and Côte d’Ivoire for 28:38.
The difference was that once the Ivorians regained control late in the second quarter, they did not surrender it again.
They emerged from halftime and gradually stretched the margin, taking the third quarter 17-15. Côte d’Ivoire's lead reached 10 points at its largest, but Cameroon continued to hang around, refusing to let the hosts find an easy route towards the Final.
The fourth quarter became less about fluent offense and more about protecting every possession.
Both sides managed only 10 points in the final period.
For Côte d’Ivoire, that was enough.
Their work on the glass had given them an important cushion throughout the night. The hosts finished with 54 rebounds to Cameroon's 43 and, more significantly, collected 20 offensive boards compared with nine for their opponents.
Those extra opportunities translated into a 14-9 advantage in second-chance points.
Côte d’Ivoire also did a much better job of turning mistakes into punishment. Cameroon committed 20 turnovers, four more than the hosts, and Côte d’Ivoire scored 28 points from turnovers compared with Cameroon's 10.
That 18-point difference proved enormous in a game ultimately decided by five.
The Ivorians also controlled the paint, where they held a 34-20 scoring advantage, while fast-break points were level at nine apiece.
Cameroon, however, had reasons to believe they could steal the game.
They were the more accurate shooting team overall, converting 34 percent from the field compared with Côte d’Ivoire's 30 percent. Cameroon also shot 48.2 percent on two-pointers and 23.5 percent from three-point range, both better marks than the hosts' 41.9 and 15.2 percent respectively.
But Côte d’Ivoire compensated by creating more possessions, attacking the offensive glass and getting to the free-throw line.
Joachim Basson led Cameroon with 11 points, hitting three of six attempts from beyond the arc. Ngaba Yaya and Junior Djibrine had scored 12 points each in the Quarter-Final win over Chad, but this time Cameroon's offense was spread more thinly.
Felix Deumi finished with nine points after connecting on three of five three-pointers, while James Minlend added nine. Karl Wabo-Depouilly and Nolan Ngangmeni contributed eight apiece.
Yaya's absence from the scoresheet was particularly notable after his double-double in the Quarter-Final, while Ronny Ewanke, another major contributor against Chad, was held to six points on two-of-nine shooting.
Côte d’Ivoire, meanwhile, found contributions beyond Djako.
Chris Junior Echui added six points and seven rebounds, while Oka collected six boards to accompany his eight points. Bryan Lionel N'Goli scored five points and grabbed four offensive rebounds in just over 11 minutes, another example of the work Côte d’Ivoire's reserves provided.
And when the game demanded composure late, the hosts had just enough of it.
Cameroon had already demonstrated their ability to explode in the fourth quarter during their Quarter-Final victory over Chad, when they scored 27 points in the final 10 minutes. There would be no repeat in Treichville.This time Côte d’Ivoire kept them to 10.
It was not a spectacular finish, nor did it need to be. Semi-Finals rarely hand out extra credit for elegance. Côte d’Ivoire survived the changes of momentum, won the possession battle and held their nerve when the margin became uncomfortable.
Now the hosts are heading to the FIBA U18 AfroBasket 2026 Final, with the possibility of lifting the continental crown on home soil just one game away. Cameroon will have one more game as well, but theirs will be for bronze. After coming within five points of the Final, that will take some absorbing.
[Photography/Imagery : Courtesy of FIBA]
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