The African nation beat Senegal to earn a spot at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments (OQTs), which will decide the four final quotas in men's basketball for Paris 2024.
(Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)
Cameroon is keeping the dream of qualifying to their first men's Olympic basketball tournament alive, after after winning their first continental title in the sport.
The team from the Central African nation beat Senegal 80-74 in the FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying final in Lagos, Nigeria on Sunday (20 August 2023). In addition to the continental title, the victory has earned Cameroon a spot in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments (OQTs), which will be held early in 2024.
The last four quotas of the total 12 available at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games will be given out through the Olympic Qualifying Tournaments.
Cameroon last made it to an Olympic Qualifying Tournament in 2008, while Senegal were aiming for their third consecutive appearance. Although Senegal led at the start of the final in Lagos, Cameroon tied the score at the end of the first quarter thanks to Fabien Ateba’s three-pointer, and held on to the lead all the way to the final whistle.
Nigeria were the only African team to play at the Olympic Games in 2012, 2016, and 2020. Before that it was Angola who led the way for Africa at the Olympics, qualifying in 2008, 2004, 2000, 1996, and 1992.
Angola, Cape Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, Egypt, and South Sudan are the five African teams that will play at the men's 2023 FIBA World Cup, which runs from 25 August to 10 September. The top-ranked team from Africa at the tournament will qualify for Paris 2024.