DR Congo came into this encounter with a 1-2 record, knowing a victory would most likely give them the much needed third place to advance to the next window. Madagascar was still winless and in much need of a miracle to keep their dreams alive but the Leopards crushed their dream with a resounding 82-62 win.
Last Updated on
July 3, 2026
The Leopards got off to a scorching hot start with an 8-0 run. Flo Thamba established his position early in the game and proved too powerful in the paint with a dominant lay up and then drew a foul and split the pair. Franck Nyembo then joined the party with a three-pointer to make it 6-0. Shekinah Munagnga, who led all scorers with 23 points, got his first points with a turnaround jump shot.
Sitraka broke the deadlock for Madagascar after a three-minute spell with a mid-range jump shot. Madagascar then struggled to keep the ball and even more so to get into good positions to score. DRC took full advantage of this and went on another 8-0 run sparked by a Munanga floater. John Jordan got in the groove of things with his own pullup jump shot before Flo Thamba joined the action with back-to-back baskets to make it 16-2.
Madagascar then upped the ante defensively, limiting DRC to no points for almost the second half of the first quarter. Despite this, coach Perrin of DRC used this dry spell as an opportunity to try out various combinations. DRC ended the quarter at 16-8.
The second quarter as slowly as the first quarter ended with neither teams scoring for the first minute. The Chaux Sport and local player, Elisee Mutombo opened the scoring for DRC with a turnaround jump shot where he drew the foul but failed to convert on the line. Landric Donovan then drew a foul on Mutombo to split the pair on the line. The two sides momentarily traded baskets before the Leopards ran away with it.
DRC started this emphatic run with a great display of three-point shooting. Munanga started with back-to-back three-pointers before Nyembo joined the party. Flo Thamba and John Jordan then scored back-to-back fast break baskets to take the lead to 33-11. The run was interrupted when Landric Donovan scored a free throw but DRC were too resolute to be stopped. Munanga then picked up right from where he left off with two jump shots.
DRC captain, Rolly Fula, then added two more points with a fast break lay up. Madagascar got another free throw to disrupt proceedings. It was not long before Samson Elande drained another three pointer to make it a 30-point game. Alpha Solondrainy closed off the quarter with a jump shot in the paint. They went into the break with the score at 43-15 to DRC.
Madagascar found their groove and got off to a 6-0 run to revive their hopes. However, the high-flyer, Garmine Kande drained a three-pointer for DRC to show his versatility and put DRC on the score board after a two-minute dry spell. Mathias M'Madi then went on a run to show his D1 experience. He drew a foul and converted both free throws before draining a three-pointer to cut the deficit to 20.
After another stalemate period John Jordan then dropped a three pointer after Franck Nyembo passed up his shot to find him wide open. Kiady Mijoro then joined the party for Madagascar when he drew a foul on a lay up and converted the traditional three-point play. This gave Madagascar some new life and Marco Rakotovao dropped a three and Mathias M'Madi followed up with a fast break lay up.
With the score now at 49-34, DRC turned to Shekinah Munanga who delivered with a jump shot. However, Madagascar's Armada continued to fire and went on a 4-0 run to make it a 13-point game from what was once a 30-point game. This prompted a DRC timeout. The timeout proved worth it as Toto Cuma scored a three-pointer. Madagascar scored a mid-range in retaliation, but DRC had a lot more in the arsenal. Garmine Kande showed his versatility once more with another three-pointer.
The onslaught continued for Madagascar as Rolly Fula dropped another three to extend the lead for DRC. Sitraka would not take it sitting down and fought hard to score another two-pointer to cut the deficit. After both teams traded baskets, it was DRC who went into the break with a 64-45 lead.
DRC knew Madagascar would go out swinging and they needed to stay focused and manage the game. However, Landric Donovan crashed their party with an emphatic fast break dunk from his own defensive rebound. Madagascar took their defense up a notch and it translated to a fast break lay up for Alpha Solondrainy.
John Jordan took over to control the flow of the game with three straight points. Elly Randriamampionona then scored a three-pointer to continue fighting. This shot cut the deficit to 15 points. Garmine Kande then drew a foul on a basket but missed the free throw. However, John Jordan then drained a three-pointer to keep it a 20-point game.
DRC then cruised to the finish line to win this game at 82-62. Despite a valiant third quarter, it was too little too late for Madagascar to dig themselves out of the hole they dug themselves in. They now have to win convincingly against Côte d'Ivoire and Senegal to keep their hopes alive. DRC can breathe a sigh of relief and keep this momentum in the upcoming games.
[Photography and Imagery Courtesy of FIBA]
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