The FIBA Africa Zone 3 U-16 Afro basket boys’ and girls’ qualifiers got off Thursday at the Samuel Kanyon Doe (SKD) Gymnasium in Paynesville City, Liberia.

The regional tournament features three participating nations: host nation Liberia, Benin, and Ivory Coast, all competing for a spot in the 2025 FIBA U-16 Afro Basket Championship.

The competition took off with Ivorian U-16 girls delivering a dominant performance, outclassing Benin with a commanding 73–31 victory.

The late match in the boys’ category saw the Ivory Coast boys outclass Benin in a one-sided game.

The Ivorian Boys brushed aside the Benin Boys 98-20 points.

Host nation Liberia will make their debut tomorrow, Friday, when the country face Ivory Coast in both the boys’ and girls’ categories.

The FIBA Africa Zone 3 qualifiers serve as the regional gateway to the prestigious 2025 U-16 Afrobasket Championship in Rwanda in September.

The tournament meant for eight countries will see just three competing, as report says Ghana, Nigeria and Niger all stayed away without given reasons, while Togo withdrew due to civil unrest, Burkina Faso pulled out last minute over funding issues.