Jointly organized by FIBA Africa and Fécoket under the leadership of federal executive president Fabrice Makaya Mateve, the regional tournament offers teams a direct path to major continental competitions.

Opening Day Action at Henri-Elendé Gymnasium Highlights Regional Disparities

The opening fixtures at the Henri-Elendé gymnasium on the banks of the Congo River showcased a mix of lopsided scorelines and tight contests. In the women’s division, the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Hatari opened the tournament with a dominant 93–33 victory over local side ANBC. Cameroon’s FAP followed with a hard-fought 72–64 win against the DRC’s BC Onatra in a physical, back-and-forth encounter.

The talent gap between established clubs and local teams became apparent when Interclub de Brazzaville fell 106–28 to Kinshasa’s ASB CNSS. FAP of Cameroon closed out a strong opening day by defeating Gabon’s Charbo Squad 65–49.

Brazzaville Men Secure Vital Home Victory

The men’s tournament provided local supporters with a reason to celebrate as Avenir du rail edged Gabon’s Espoir BC 66-60. Driven by individual skill, a structured team defense, and an energetic partisan crowd inside the Brazzaville arena, the home side secured the narrow win in the closing minutes of regulation.

Addressing the current level of Congolese clubs after a decade-long absence from international competition, Dimi Yoka pointed to the rebuilding phase facing the national game. « On ne va pas dire que le niveau du Congo est assez bas. Toutes ces jeunes filles qui viennent de passer là sont en train d’apprendre. C’est tout à fait normal et raisonnable.

Qualification Stakes for Abidjan and Cairo Tournaments

The tournament carries significant implications for regional qualification structures. In the men’s bracket, the top two finishing teams will secure places in the Elite 16 – Division West, scheduled to take place in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, from November 9 to 15.

For the women’s division, the two leading teams will advance directly to the final phase of the Women’s Basketball League Africa (WBLA), which is set to run in Egypt from December 11 to 21.

Zonal Qualifiers Continue at Henri-Elendé Gymnasium Through October 28

The zonal qualifiers continue at the Henri-Elendé gymnasium through October 28, with teams competing daily to finalize their standings before the upcoming continental deadlines.