Côte d'Ivoire bounced back from their defeat at the hands of Senegal to claim a convincing victory, 94-51, against the Leopards of DR Congo to keep the pressure on Senegal. Senegal also crushed Madagascar 101-59 to remain in top of Group B after an impressive offensive performance by Brancou Badio.
Last Updated on
July 15, 2026
The two African titans clashed once more in this second round of the World Cup Qualifiers. While DR Congo was trying to improve their result from the previous encounter, the Elephants hoped it would be a repeat of that encounter. Congo entered this clash on a high note after a convincing win against Madagascar while Côte d'Ivoire was looking to bounce back after their loss to Senegal a few nights prior.
The game got off to a slow start with the first basket only coming in after a minute and a half had elapsed. John Jordan opened the scoring for DR Congo. Immediately after, David Gassaud got on the scoresheet for the Ivorians.The show of the first quarter was the back and forth of long distance shooting between Munanga and Moulare. The two teams battled it out with little to nothing separating them in the first quarter with the score at 17-12 to the Ivorians.
However, the second quarter was a different ball game. The Ivorians put the pedal to the floor and shifted into another gear on both ends. They increased their defensive intensity and used that energy to fuel their offense. They limited the Leopards to 13 points while they went off for 27.They forced Congo into missed shots and often poor shot selections, many turnovers and broke their team cohesion. Assiaman Moulare continued to put his offensive prowess on full display with one big play after another and overall control of the game. The Elephants went into the half up 44-25
The third quarter was not different from the second. The Ivorians relied on their bench and they each made meaningful contributions to the team. They took care of the ball all the while scoring at a high rate and making defensive stops. They ran away with the score to make it 69-37.
In a last ditched effort, the Leopards pushed but could not get over the hump or even cut the deficit. The Ivorians were firing in all cylinders. They left no room for errors. They won with a convincing score of 94-51. Assiaman Moulare led all scorers with 17 points.The Elephantst take on Madagascar next where they fancy their chances while DR Congo take on Sénégal. Côté d’Ivoire will hope for the Congolese to upset the Senegalese in order for them to ascend atop Group B.
Senegal was full of confidence entering this game as they had already qualified for the next round of the Qualifiers. The reclaimed their position atop Group B after a win against Côte d'Ivoire on the opening night of this window. They knew that Madagascar would put up a fight as this was their last chance to qualify for the next round after a winless campaign.
Senegal could not have started better in front of their fans. They went started the game with a 15-0 run. During this run, the Lions of Teranga put on a great defensive performance and got out in transition quickly. However, they kept their composure and ran their half court sets when the transition was not available. This eruptive start prompted a timeout from Madagascar. The timeout proved beneficial as they managed to score their first point after that courtesy of Anthony Rasolamanana. Shortly after that Landric Rakotananahary went on a solo 6-0 run to reignite this Malagasy side. However, Senegal had other plans as they kept finding their way to the basket either with creativity or just pure force. Ibrahima Faye erupted for 12 first quarter points while Brancou Badio had 13. Senegal took a 28-17 lead at the end of the first quarter.
It was in the second quarter that the game completely changed for the Malagasy side. They could not string together a few passes and had their offensive structure dismantled that it took individual brilliance to get some points up. Senegal on the other hand could rely on their deep bench and had a flowing rotation with Ibou Badji scoring some important baskets. Senegal ended the quarter at 52-28.
The third quarter was very similar to the second and the familiarity seemed to have taken out all the effort from the Malagasy side. Their woes continued while the Lions of Teranga continued to hunt their prey. Moustapha Diop showed his range when he scored a deep three-pointer to extend Senegal’s lead. All this while Badio and Faye continued to score and make their case for an incredible scoring duo especially with Sane not playing particularly well. Sénégal was still in control at the end of thr quarter at 76-40.
The fourth quarter showed more promise from Madagascar with household names like Sitraka and M’Madi finding their offensive rhythm. They strung together a few passes and scored some crucial baskets. By then, Coach Diop had cleared his bench, giving the starters a rest. However, the level of production did not drop and the Lions of Teranga continued to wreak havoc on their opponents.
With the crowd behind them, they scored the first century in this group in this window. Babacar Sane’s and-one play sent the crowd into a frenzy as they reached their 100-point target. Sénégal cruised to à 101-59!” Victory with Brancou Badio scoring 22 points, grabbing 7 rebounds while dishing out 6 assists. Alongside him, Ibrahima Faye who had 20 points and 10 rebounds and Ibou Badji who had a game-high of six blocks. Senegal stay at the top of the group and have booked their spot in the next FIBA window.
[Photography and Imagery Courtesy of FIBA]
