2025 Men’s AfroBasket : Cameroon Misses Bronze

The Basketball Lions of Cameroon ended their 2025 Men’s AfroBasket campaign in fourth place after a painful defeat to Senegal in the third-place match yesterday August 24, 2025 in Luanda, Angola. The match concluded in favour of the Senegalese, 72-98 denying Cameroon a bronze medal. Cameroon entered the game nursing the pain of a heartbreaking semifinal loss to host nation Angola. In a thrilling encounter, the Lions narrowly fell 73-74 after leading for much of the game, but faltering in the crucial final minutes. With just 1:11 left on the clock, Cameroon held a three-point advantage, but Angola’s resilience and precision in the dying moments secured their place in the final.
However, the psychological impact of that narrow defeat weighed heavily on Cameroon in their third-place matchup against Senegal yesterday. Right from the opening quarter, the Lions appeared shaken and off-balance, struggling to regain their usual composure and focus. Their shooting lacked accuracy, and unforced turnovers disrupted their rhythm. Senegal, imposed their dominance early on, storming to a 28-14 lead in the first quarter and extending it further in the second with a 19-12 win. The pattern of control continued after halftime as Cameroon struggled to find their footing. The third quarter ended 31-22 still in favour of the Senegalese. The basketball Lions of Cameroon showed some signs of reawakening only in the last quarter where they narrowly won 24-20. Key weaknesses in rebounding were glaring; the Cameroonian team pulled down only 37 rebounds compared to Senegal’s commanding 48. Jean-Jacques Boissy of Senegal marveled with his three-point accuracy. &n...