Basketball World Cup 2023: Ivory Coast are the first African side to secure qualification Last updated on

Ivory Coast have become the first African side to qualify for the 2023 Basketball World Cup after a 77-69 win against Cape Verde on Sunday.

The Elephants victory in Abidjan means they top Group E in the second round of qualifiers having won all seven games so far in this phase.

Ivory Coast captain Stephane Konate and Alexander Poythress both claimed 16 points in the win in front of a capacity home crowd at the Palaise des Sports de Treichville.

The defeat saw Cape Verde slip to third as Angola climbed into second spot recording a third straight victory with a 70-67 win against fourth-placed Nigeria.

The other match in the group saw Guinea beat Uganda 76-69 to trade places at the bottom. All three matches in the group this weekend were played in Abidjan.

In Group F, Egypt missed the chance to book their place at the World Cup and lost top spot to their opponents South Sudan who came out 85-65 victors in the match hosted in Monastir, Tunisia.

Sunday Dech, with 18 points and 5 assists, was the star for South Sudan, who now need just one more win to qualify.

Senegal thumped Cameroon 90-71 and hold third position - the best third placed side will join the top two teams from the two groups at next year's World Cup.

The second round of qualifying resumes in February for the tournament which will be held in the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia from 25 August to 10 September 2023.

This article originally appeared on BBC News

Photo: Getty Images