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Rabat – Upon arrival at Casablanca’s Mohammed V International Airport on Monday, the Moroccan basketball team was welcomed in style after clinching their first Africa Cup of Nations (AfroCan) title for local teams.
A large number of supporters were waiting with bouquets of flowers at the strains of the “Dakka Marrakchia,” a folkloric and ritual form of music, as an expression of pride and happiness for their performance.
The competition was held in Luanda, the capital city of Angola, from July 8 to 16, whose final round pitted the Atlas Lions against the Ivory Coast team.
The final match ended with a score of 78-76, in favor of Morocco with the players showcasing their remarkable talent and tenacity.
The Atlas Lions started their adventure under the management of coach Labib Hamrani with a spirited victory over Rwanda in their first game. The final score was 58–52.
In their second game against Tunisia, the Moroccan team lost by 67-52. Despite this setback, the Moroccan team continued to compete with tenacity and extraordinary talent.
Victory fell to Morocco in the next three matches when they defeated Cameroon, Kenya, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
With this triumph, two Moroccan players, Kevin Francischki and Jihad Bencheleka, were featured among the top five of the African championship.
The other players featured in the top five were Dieudonne N’Dizi from Rwanda, Evariste Chonganya from the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Mick Fofana from Ivory Coast.
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