Palais de Sports de Treichvile was electric as the host nation delivered another ruthless statement performance on their home floor. Showcasing relentless defensive pressure and explosive transition offense, Côte d'Ivoire charged past Egypt in an 89-62 victory that sent a clear message to the rest of the continent. From tip off, the Young Elephants dictated the tempo, controlling every facet of the game and giving the passionate home crowd plenty to celebrate.
Last Updated on
August 10, 2026
The first minute of the game was slow with both teams sizing each other up. Ahmed Bakry then broke the deadlock with a lay up for Egypt. Thereafter, Nathan Djako scored back-to-back lay ups to give the Ivorians an early lead. Chris Echui then had an and-one play and converted the free throw before Karl-Randell Kouame-Zeze sank a three. This gave the Ivorians an early 10-4 lead to set the standard for the game.
With neither team willing to give up any more ground in this encounter, the defensive intensity reached an all-time high with a two-minute deadlock. It was Belal Sohaib who broke it with a free throw for Egypt. Then the Egyptians tied the game at 13 points apiece. This run was short lived as Jason Ake scored a three-pointer to ignite the local fans. Egypt fought back and got within one point in the last minute of the game but Nathan Djako's three gave the Young Elephants a 21-17 lead at the end of the quarter.
The Egyptians got off to a great quarter with a quick five-point run to reclaim the lead. Zeineldin Abdeldaim prompted this run with a floater before Rami Magdy's three-pointer silenced the crowd. The Ivorians went two minutes without a response. However, Raphael Ouedraogo turned on the engine and scored back-to-back fast break lay ups before JP Oka sank his three to extend the Ivorians lead back up to six points.
Egyptian head coach, Rafik Safbiny, called a much needed timeout that led to a 4-0 Egyptian run. This game was one with the momentum swinging on a pendulum but stayed longer on the Ivorian side. The Young Elephants went on a 7-0 run to take their lead up to nine points. The two sides then traded baskets to keep the gap at nine. However, Karl-Randell Kouame-Zeze drew a foul and converted both free throws. Jason Ake's three-pointer rounded off the first half and put the Ivorians in a commanding position at 44-30 at the half.
The third quarter got off to a slow but balanced start with both teams trading blows. Then the highlight came when Asaad Hendawy and Kark-Randell Kouame-Zeze exchanged three-pointers and got the crowd on their feet. Asaad Hendawy then cleaned up on the board and scored a put-back. This prompted an Ivorian timeout. Once again, Jason Ake scored another three-pointer but it was Raphael Ouedraogo's lay up that gave the Ivorians their biggest lead of the game: 60-40.
Asaad Hendawy made another jump shot to tally up his impressive quarter where he scored ten points. The Ivorians then went on a 6-0 run to close out the third quarter. During this run, they exploited the Egyptians' defense and forced them into turnovers that led to fast breaks or drew fouls that sent them to the free throw line. The Ivorians closed the quarter with a comfortable 66-42 lead.
Raphael Ouedraogo kept his jet engines on as he started the quarter with another fast break. Then Deh-Dimitri Azema added a pull up jump. However, the Egyptians were caught slacking on their transition defense which led to another fast break, but this time it was Nathan Djako. This lay up prompted an Egyptian timeout as the Ivorians opened the biggest lead yet at 31 points. Rami Magdy then scored a three-pointer in the Egyptians' last ditched effort.
Karl-Rendell Kouame-Zeze then drew a foul on a three-point attempt and converted all three free throws. Belal Sohaib then threw down a thunderous dunk on the fast break for the Egyptians. However, the Ivorians had an answer for each Egyptian attempt. Deh-Dimitri Azema's three-pointer was the answer this time and sent the crowd into a frenzy.
Both teams continued to exchange blows as the deficit remained at 31 points. In a last ditched effort, none other than Asaad Hendawy, drained a three-pointer for the Egyptians. However, it was too little too late as the Ivorians kept control of the game and went on to win 89-62 to not only stay undefeated but secure their place in the quarter finals. Asaad Hendawy's 13 points and 10 rebounds were not enough to push Egypt over the line.
However, it was more than just a game for Karl-Rendell Kouame-Zeze who led all scorers with 18 points. This was not just another group-stage win for the Young Elephants, it was a defining display of authority from a team looking to stake its claim on the championship.
[Photography and Imagery Courtesy of FIBA]
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