In a display of sheer dominance, the Angolan national basketball team is once again atop the African basketball world.
The “Palanças” defeated Mali 70-43 in a sold-out Kilamba Arena on Sunday to win the 2025 FIBA AfroBasket championship, cementing their status as the most successful nation in the tournament’s history with an unprecedented twelfth title.
The victory culminates a flawless campaign for Angola, which stormed through the tournament with a perfect 6-0 record, never truly being challenged on their home soil.
The win also ends a 12-year drought, marking their first African championship since the 2013 tournament in Abidjan.
A dominant path to glory
From the opening tip-off of the final, Angola’s defensive intensity and offensive cohesion overwhelmed a talented Malian squad.
The home team methodically built their lead, leaving no doubt about the eventual outcome.
The victory was a testament to a complete team performance, capping off a tournament where they established themselves as the clear class of the field.
Their journey was characterized by stifling defense and clutch scoring, proving them to be the only undefeated team in the competition.
Mali makes history as runners-up
While the night belonged to Angola, Mali’s journey to the final was a historic achievement in its own right.
Finishing with a 4-3 record, the team secured the second-place position for the first time in the nation’s history, signaling their arrival as a new powerhouse in African basketball.
Their silver medal represents a significant milestone for Malian hoops.
A Capital city united in celebration
The energy in Luanda was electric throughout the final day of the tournament.
For the third consecutive night, all 12,700 seats at the state-of-the-art Kilamba Arena were filled to capacity.
A sea of red and black Angolan flags waved fervently as the home crowd willed their team to victory, creating an unforgettable atmosphere for the historic occasion.
Earlier in the day, Senegal secured a comfortable 98-72 victory over Cameroon to claim the bronze medal. This marks the third consecutive tournament in which Senegal has finished in third place.
Individual honors celebrate standout performers
The tournament’s individual awards were handed out following the final, with Angolan guard Childe Dundao headlining the list as the 2025 AfroBasket Most Valuable Player.
Dundao was also named to the All-Tournament Team, alongside his teammate Bruno Fernando.
They were joined on the All-Tournament team by two Malian stars, Mahamane Coulibaly and Aliou Diarra, and Senegalese guard Brancou Badio.
Diarra was honored as the tournament’s Leading Rebounder.
Badio had an exceptional tournament, taking home two individual awards as the Leading Scorer and the Leading Three-Point Shooter.
The Fair Play award was presented to the team from Madagascar.
