NAIROBI, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- The 31st edition of FIBA AfroBasket kicked off on Tuesday in Angola's Luanda and Namibe, with Guinea's 88-80 victory over favorites South Sudan standing out as a key highlight of the opening day.
Ranked No. 1 in Africa and No. 23 globally in the FIBA men's rankings, South Sudan's Bright Stars are placed in the highly competitive Group C, which also includes 11-time champions and hosts Angola, 2023 FIBA Africa U16 Champions Guinea, and five-time participants Libya.
Guinea wasted no time showcasing aggressive offense in their opening clash against South Sudan. Headlined by 2021 NBA champion Mamadi Diakite and EuroLeague star Alpha Diallo, the West African team unleashed an unstoppable barrage of three-pointers, establishing a 45-38 lead by halftime.
In the second half, Guinea extended the winning margin to 15 points with a 12-2 scoring run in the third quarter, then sealed the victory with crucial free throws at the buzzer.
Guinea made 14 out of 28 three-point attempts, with four players reaching double digits in scoring. Diallo led all players with a game-high 28 points, while South Sudan's Nuni Omot finished with a team-high 27 points.
"It was an important win for us to go out there, set the tone against a really tough opponent, South Sudan. They played really well; kept us on our heels," Diallo said after the match.
"Coach drew us a few plays and we got a lot of defensive stops; Some of our young guys came in and brought us some energy," he added, calling the win "an overall team contribution."
In another Group C matchup, 11-time champions Angola crashed Libya 85-53 on home soil. The Angolans are currently standing atop the group, followed by Guinea.
In Group D, last edition's third-place finisher Senegal overwhelmed Uganda 88-53 to lead the group, while Egypt defeated Mali 74-59.
On Wednesday, eight teams from Groups A and B will compete in their opening round fixtures.
With a three-peat on target, defending champions Tunisia will face Cameroon in Group B, while 2021 runners-up Cote d'Ivoire will take on Rwanda in Group A. ■
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