The Malagasy selection signed its second victory as part of the grouping of qualification for the Afrobasket Men 2025. The Rija band won by 118 to 74 against the rest of the world for the second time yesterday at the Palais Mahamasina Sports. The men of the duo Jeannot Ravonimbola and Ndranto Rakotonanahary lived up to what was expected of them. The regrouping has ended for the 14 players preselected for this two-week preparation at the CNaPS Sports sports complex in Vontovorona. In a month, the Ankoay will fly to Egypt where they will compete in the first qualifying window for Afrobasket 2025. According to the president of the Malagasy basketball federation, Jean Michel Ramaroson, another expatriate player , in the person of Sitraka Raharimanantoanina, will strengthen the backbone of the national team in addition to Kiady Razanamahenina and Rija Lahontan alongside the other local players selected for this first qualifying window. In Egypt, the Ankoay will cross swords with three other selections, among others, the Egyptian Pharaons, the Elephants of Ivory Coast and the Fauves de Bas Oubangui of Central Africa. Size still remains one of the major problems of the Malagasy selection. “ We will build on our strengths on Egyptian soil “, explained Angelot Razafiarivony, national technical director within the FMBB.
T.H