After conceding defeat to Ghana in the 2024 Federation of International Basketball Association (FIBA) Afrobasket South Africa 2025 Under-19 FIBA Championship, Liberia’s Under-18 men’s basketball team is set to face host Ivory Coast this Thursday.
The team faced a challenging match on Wednesday, losing 56-64 to Ghana in the ongoing 2024 FIBA Afrobasket Championship. Liberia’s Under-18 team is now hoping to triumph over Ivory Coast in their second encounter at the Palaise de Sports in Abidjan.
A victory would keep their hopes alive for securing a spot in the South Africa 2025 Under-19 FIBA Championship.
However, a win for the host country, Ivory Coast, in the match slated for 6 PM against Liberia’s U-18 team this Thursday, would see them advance to the next round.
Ivory Coast already demonstrated their strength with a resounding 95-47 victory over Benin in their first match of the competition on Wednesday.
In their match against Ghana, Liberia trailed in the first quarter 15-19 and continued to fall behind, ending the second quarter with a 31-40 deficit.
The third quarter saw the Black Stars U-18 team extending their lead to 38-52. Despite a strong effort in the fourth quarter, the Lone Star team could not overturn the deficit, ultimately losing 56-64.
Thursday’s schedule will also feature the Ivorian women’s team facing Liberia at 1 PM, and Ghana competing against Nigeria in the men’s category at 3:30 PM.
The final match of the day will be between Liberia and Ivory Coast at 6 PM.
The Liberia Basketball Association (LBA) has sent a 37-member delegation to honor the 2024 Afrobasket Championship in Abidjan.
The delegation, which traveled via Nimba County, includes players, technical staff, administrators, and media personnel. Calvin Diggs, the Secretary General of the LBA, heads the delegation.
Participating nations in the tournament are Ivory Coast, Liberia, Ghana, Benin, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Togo.
Liberia’s performance in the upcoming match against the host nation will be crucial for their aspirations in the championship.
