| Victorious girls from the Street to Gold project match will form the Ankoay U23. |
The Ankoay 3X3 will defend the colors of Madagascar at the 13th edition of the African Games in Accra. They will play in an affordable Group B.
23 days before the opening ceremony of the 13th edition of the African Games which will take place from March 8 to 23 in Accra, Ghana, everything is becoming clearer for 3×3 basketball. The two groups in which the two Ankoay national teams will play are known: the girls and boys in the U23 category are in group B.
The formula is simple, everyone meets everyone and the two countries with the most points qualify for the quarter-finals.
Among the boys, Madagascar plays with Benin, Mali and Ghana, host country of the competition. Compared to the ranking published by FIBA communicated by the Malagasy basketball federation, Benin is the best ranked because it is in second place in Africa, Madagascar is in seventh position, Ghana in tenth place and Mali in fifteenth position.
On paper, Group B in which Madagascar is located is affordable if we refer to the FIBA ranking because behind Benin second, Madagascar is placed ahead of Ghana and Mali. On the field, this ranking does not reflect the level of each team because everything depends on a small detail. Madagascar is forced to place second in the group.
Difficult task
During the previous edition played in Rabat Morocco from August 19 to 31, 2019, the group of Livio Ratianarivo, Elly Randriamampionona, Fiary Johnson Rakotonirina and Arnol Solondrainy won 3X3 gold. For the 13th edition, the Malagasy players have the difficult task of doing better because they are expected by everyone and the Ankoay men are among the opponents to beat.
The Ankoay girls of 3×3, seventh in the FIBA Africa ranking, also play in Pool B with Ivory Coast, sixteenth in the ranking, Gabon fifteenth, Mali tenth.
The Malagasy 3×3 basketball players in relation to the rue vers l’or project experienced a fairly long preparation time before the release of the list of lucky ones who will defend the national colors. The Ankoay girls have the difficult task of challenging the Malians, silver medalists in 2019, to get out of their group.
But with the good example of their older sisters and the sharing of experience they will receive at the national basketball camp from February 16 to 18 at the Vontovorona sports complex, the Ankoay U23 girls have their chance to compete with their opponents.
Mihary Randriana, member of the FMBB and responsible for 3×3 basketball, explains: “I cannot say whether Pool B where the Ankoay girls and boys play is affordable or not. It all depends on preparation. But compared to previous preparations for each event, this time, we have a fairly long preparation time due to the existence of the rue vers l’or project.”
Donné Raherinjatovo