U16 AfroBasket: Omar Kathaby's double-double help Egypt fly past Morocco in Kigali

Egypt's Omar Kathaby delivered a performance for the headlines as he powered his nation to a crucial 77-67 victory over Morocco at the ongoing FIBA U16 Afrobasket Championship in Kigali.

The young star was simply dominant, pouring in a game-high 20 points and amassing a brilliant 13 rebounds to completely control the paint on both ends of the floor with 8 on the defensive and 5 on the offensive.

From the opening tip, Kathaby's presence was the difference-maker in a contest that was as much about physicality as it was about skill. His 20 points weren't just a number on a sheet; they were a collection of powerful moves and fast breaks that also included his own misses.

But perhaps even more impressive was his work on the glass with his 13 rebounds - a mix of crucial defensive boards that halted Moroccan possessions and offensive rebounds. Two players also recorded a double-double on the day in the win as Karim Hendy finished with 17 points and 12 rebounds while the second-most efficient player for the most successful team at this level, Adam Guirguis posted 13 points, 13 rebounds and two blocks.

For Morocco, Mehdi Berrada topped the scorers chart with 23 points and 3 rebounds in the disappointing loss.

The game saw the lead change four times during the course of the game and despite the pressure being applied by Morocco that eventually saw them turn in 26 points from turnovers as against Egypt's 10 points, the Young Pharaohs were bullish inside the paint as they went pretty basic with their style of play, registering a dominant 52 points while the Moroccans could only manage 14 points inside the paint. The points from the bench also went Morocco's way as they contributed 14 points when compared to Egypt's bench contribution of 10 points.

The first half was tied at 31-31 after both teams edged the two quarters by a point each. Egypt then raced to a huge lead in the third quarter that saw them close out with a ten-point lead at 55-45. The topsy-turvy then resumed in the final quarter, with both sides going neck and neck as they looked inseparable with the scores at 22-22 but the third-quarter lead had put the Egyptians in a good stead to see out the game with a win.

Considering their dominance at this level, where they are the most decorated team in the history of the competition with five titles won in 2009, 2011, 2015, 2019, and 2021, the young Pharaohs are looking pretty good and determined to reclaim their trophy following their shocking loss in the 2023 final to Guinea.

Egypt will return to action on Sunday when they take on debutants Liberia while Morocco squares off against Mali on the same day inside the Petit Stade in Kigali.

Twelve national teams from across the continent are competing in the 2025 edition of the FIBA U16 AfroBasket with all eyes on Guinea, who pulled off a major upset to win the title in 2023. Also, the two finalists will automatically qualify for the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup next year in Turkey.

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