Gabon rallied from 11 points down at halftime to defeat hosts Cameroon 83-80 on the opening day of the 2027 FIBA AfroCan Qualifiers in Douala on Saturday. The win strengthens Gabon's bid for the sole ticket to the Final Round available from FIBA Africa Zone 4.
Cameroon led 42-31 at the break after controlling the first half, but their grip on the game slipped after the interval. They missed easy layups, committed 23 turnovers that Gabon converted into 18 points, and failed to contain Gabon's fast-break play.
Gabon shot 1-for-11 from beyond the arc before halftime before hitting four of five three-pointers in the third quarter to swing the contest. Substitute Elysee Makambo, aged 20, led the surge with 16 points, five rebounds and three assists off the bench. Hermann Boukousso finished with a team-high 19 points, while Gabon's bench contributed 52 of the team's 83 points.
Yann Fondong scored a game-high 25 points for Cameroon, who face Republic of the Congo on Monday 12 October in the final match of the three-team tournament.
