Madagascar produced a dominant fourth-quarter surge to defeat Morocco 59-48 at the FIBA U18 AfroBasket 2026, turning a two-point advantage into victory behind superior rebounding, balanced scoring and sharper execution.
Last Updated on
August 10, 2026
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Madagascar turned a tight contest into a convincing fourth-quarter victory as they defeated Morocco 59-48 at the FIBA U18 AfroBasket 2026, using their strength on the glass and a decisive finish to pull away.
There had been little to separate the sides for much of the game. They were level at 14-14 after the opening quarter before Madagascar edged the second period 11-8 to take a 25-22 advantage into halftime. Morocco responded after the break, winning the third quarter 13-12 and cutting the deficit to just two points, 37-35, heading into the final 10 minutes.
Then Madagascar found another gear. Because apparently three quarters of suspense were deemed sufficient.
They outscored Morocco 21-14 in the fourth quarter, their best offensive period of the game, to finally create daylight and secure an 11-point victory.
Madagascar's control of the rebounding battle proved particularly important. They finished with 54 rebounds to Morocco's 44, including 21 offensive boards. That helped them generate 17 second-chance points, compared with Morocco's 16, and repeatedly gave them additional opportunities on possessions where their initial shot did not fall.
Harinosy A'Ranty Rasetrialrivony led a balanced Madagascar attack with 13 points, adding four rebounds and a game-high 10 assists. His distribution was central to an offense that produced 17 assists overall, compared with only seven for Morocco.
Thesbon Matazaky Raolompanatena also made his presence felt inside, finishing with 12 points and 12 rebounds for a double-double. He shot 6-of-12 from the field and added three blocks, giving Madagascar an important defensive presence around the basket.
Tsiory Ulrick Rakotozafy supplied another 10 points, while Havanirina Theldy Raveloson contributed eight points and seven rebounds. Tsirinilaina Fandreesena Yoann Ndriana added six points and eight boards as Madagascar spread the workload across their rotation.
Neither team enjoyed an especially efficient shooting night. Madagascar made 21 of 63 attempts from the field for 33.3 percent, while Morocco converted 19 of 64 for 29.7 percent. The difference was more pronounced from two-point range, where Madagascar shot 46 percent compared with Morocco's 36.1 percent.
From beyond the arc, however, Morocco had the slight edge. They made six of 28 three-pointers for 21.4 percent, while Madagascar converted four of 26 for 15.4 percent.
Morocco's Mehdi Berrada finished as the team's leading scorer with 14 points, although he needed 18 field-goal attempts to get there. He hit two three-pointers and also recorded four steals.
Sofiane Ben Bougrine Ben Rezouk added nine points, seven rebounds and four steals, while Noah Mohamed Ali El Baze contributed eight points and four assists. Ismail Drilouch was influential on the boards, collecting a team-high 13 rebounds, including 10 on the defensive end, to go with three points.
Morocco's defensive pressure kept them in the contest for long stretches. They recorded 14 steals and forced Madagascar into 22 turnovers, scoring 23 points from those giveaways. Madagascar, meanwhile, scored 21 points from Morocco's 18 turnovers.
The teams were also level with 26 points apiece in the paint, illustrating how closely fought the contest was before Madagascar's late surge. Morocco received the stronger contribution from their reserves, winning the bench-scoring battle 29-22, while Madagascar held a sizeable 12-5 advantage in fast-break points.
The lead tracker told much of the story. Morocco enjoyed the stronger stretches early and again during the third quarter, but Madagascar repeatedly recovered before taking control for good in the fourth.
With the game still hanging in the balance at 37-35, Madagascar's final-period execution separated the teams. Their rebounding, interior efficiency and ability to create for one another eventually overwhelmed a Morocco side that had spent most of the afternoon within striking distance.
In a game of modest shooting percentages and plentiful turnovers, Madagascar did the less glamorous work better when it mattered most. At U18 level, apparently even teenagers eventually discover that rebounds and fourth-quarter execution are rather useful things.
[Photography/Imagery : Courtesy of FIBA]
