By Victor Kanayo
One of basketball giants in Africa, Cameroon, have picked the only available basketball ticket for 2024 Paris Olympics qualifier.
This is after the Cameroonian team dunked off one of West African basketball power houses Senegal by 80-74 points in the last action of the just concluded pre-Olympic qualifier staged in Lagos, Nigeria.
Overall, six countries participated, after two withdrew.
They are host Nigeria, Mali, Guinea, Tunisia, Senegal and Cameron.
DR Congo and Uganda withdrew at the last minute.
Cameroon Road To Final Hurdle
The high tension game which was full of suspense, saw both Cameroon and Senegal approaching the first quarter cautiously, running neck to neck to end the quarter 25-25.
In the second quarter, the Central Africans took control of the game with their points guards looking unstoppable which enabled them to win the quarter 47-33.
After the break, the Paul Biya boys continued to dictate the pace of the game, making adequate use of free throws and three points in trying to overcome their opponents.
Although the Senegalese fought back gallantly but their effort was not enough to deny the Cameroonians victory in the quarter which they also won by 62-54.
Despite going into the last quarter with eight points lead, the Cameroonians were rattled in the early minutes of the quarter which saw Senegal at a stage reducing the points to two but the resilience of the Central Africans paid off as they made adequate use of rebounds and good defensive work marshalled by their playmaker, Jeremiah Hills and Paul Eboua to overcome their opponent in the keenly contested final quarter, ending the game victoriously.
The Olympics qualifier will take place in early 2024.
