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By Joe Apu
The FIBA Africa Zone 3 U16 Afrobasket Qualifiers are set to begin today in Monrovia, Liberia, with three nations, Côte d’Ivoire, Benin, and hosts Liberia, vying for qualification spots in both the male and female categories.
However, defending champion, Nigeria is conspicuously absent as the Nigeria Basketball Federation did not register for the event.
The tournament will take place at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Indoor Sports Hall in Monrovia.
This regional championship, exclusively for players aged 16 and under, will determine Zone 3’s representatives at the 2025 FIBA U16 Afrobasket Finals scheduled for September in Kigali, Rwanda.
Zone 3 President, Colonel Sam Ahmedu (Rtd), who arrived in Monrovia from Lagos after overseeing the recently concluded Zone 3 Academies Tournament, expressed optimism about the level of competition.
“From the enthusiasm and preparation of the teams on arrival, this tournament promises to deliver top-quality action,” Ahmedu stated.
Liberia Basketball Association (LBA) Secretary General, Calvin Diggs, also affirmed the host nation’s readiness. “We are fully prepared to deliver a successful tournament,” he said via a virtual briefing from Monrovia.
Ahead of the opening games, mandatory MRI tests to verify player ages and a technical meeting were scheduled for today.
Organisers revealed that Togo’s U16 teams were unable to attend due to ongoing civil unrest, while Burkina Faso pulled out at the last minute citing financial constraints. No official reason was provided for the absence of Ghana, Nigeria, and Niger from the qualifiers.
Nigeria’s absence is particularly notable, having last participated in the 2023 U16 Afrobasket held in Accra, Ghana. Despite being bronze medalists in 2019, Nigeria suffered a shock 47-45 loss to host nation Ghana in their final qualifier game at Eden Heights Arena—a result that sparked jubilant scenes from the home crowd. However, Nigeria did not show up for the final round in Monastir, Tunisia, where Guinea emerged as surprise continental champions and secured a spot at the FIBA U19 World Cup alongside Egypt.
The action in Monrovia now sets the stage for new contenders to rise and book their place on Africa’s biggest youth basketball stage.
