Senegal's men's basketball team edged Angola 84-82 on Saturday at Dakar Arena in Diamniadio, claiming a tense victory on the second day of the fourth window of the FIBA World Cup 2027 qualifiers. The Lions overturned a deficit that had haunted them for much of the game against the reigning African champions.
Senegal had opened the window with a 67-76 loss to Egypt and struggled again early on, trailing by three at the end of the first quarter as their shooting faltered. Angola stayed aggressive in the second period, with Selton Miguel answering every Senegalese push from beyond the arc, often drawing fouls on made three-pointers. The visitors went into halftime ahead 46-43, with Miguel leading the way.
The Lions came out sharper after the break, erasing the gap inside three minutes. Angola responded with a six-point lead before captain Brancou Badio, who had managed only nine points against Egypt, began to find his range. His three-pointer dragged Senegal back into contention, and the teams went into the final quarter level at 63-63.
The last ten minutes traded blows until the Lions, carried by the Dakar Arena crowd, held on for the win. Badio finished with 24 points to lead Senegal. The victory keeps the Lions in the qualifying race heading into Sunday's 18:30 GMT closing fixture against Mali.
