Senegal U18 W
Tunisia U18 W
Tunisia U18 Women erased a 14-point halftime deficit with a stunning 17-0 run, holding Senegal scoreless in Q3 to win 44-43 at the FIBA U18 Women's AfroBasket.
Match Videos
Match Analysis
AI SummaryHow it unfolded
Senegal opened confidently, moving the ball crisply to build a double-digit cushion by half-time. Alyssa Mendy and Fatoumata Binetou Sall combined for efficient finishes around the rim, and Senegal's defensive pressure forced Tunisia into difficult shots — the North Africans shot just 8-of-20 from inside the arc in the first half.
The lead stretched to 16 points in the second quarter, and Senegal carried a 28-14 advantage into the locker room. Tunisia had managed only 14 points in 20 minutes, shooting 6-of-21 from the field.
The third quarter was a transformation. Tunisia's defence tightened, switching aggressively on screens and denying passing lanes. Senegal went cold completely: 0 points, 0-of-11 from the field in the period. Tunisia scored 13 unanswered points, capped by a basket from Orane Tlemcani to cut the deficit to 28-27 entering the fourth.
Senegal briefly steadied, but Tunisia took their first lead — and only the second of the game for either side — with under two minutes to play. A late free throw sealed the 44-43 win. Tunisia won the fourth quarter 17-15 to complete the comeback.
The turning point
Senegal's third-quarter scoring drought — 0 points on 0-of-11 shooting — is the defining stretch. The 17-0 run spanning the end of Q2 and the entire Q3 erased what had seemed an unassailable 16-point lead. Tunisia's defensive intensity and Senegal's inability to adjust against the switching scheme swung a game that had looked one-sided.
Key performers
Malak Chehidi (TUN) — Game-high 15 points. The forward was the primary scoring threat throughout, creating her own shot when Tunisia's offence stalled in the first half and finishing through contact in the second. Player of the Match.
Alyssa Mendy (SEN) — Led Senegal with 10 efficiency and was a consistent presence across the stat sheet, but could not spark the offence during the third-quarter drought.
Orane Tlemcani (TUN) — Contributed critical points in the third-quarter surge, finishing Tunisia's run to cut the lead to one. She averaged 7.5 points per game across the tournament.
By the numbers — interpreted
The boxscore tells the story of two halves. Senegal shot 21% from the field overall to Tunisia's 30%, a gap that widened dramatically in the third quarter (0-of-11 vs 5-of-13). Tunisia's 2-point percentage (38.7% to Senegal's 19.4%) reflected their edge in the paint. Conversely, Tunisia made only 34.8% of their free throws to Senegal's 57.1% — a margin that nearly cost them. The lead tracker confirms the dominance then collapse: Senegal led for 34 minutes 31 seconds; Tunisia led for just 1 minute 33 seconds.
What it means
The result left both teams in the middle of a competitive Group C. Cameroon swept the group 3-0 with wins over Senegal (60-30), Nigeria (75-74) and Tunisia (61-51). Senegal finished their tournament with a 2-3 record and were eliminated in the Classification 9-10 round. Tunisia finished 2-4 overall, exiting in the Classification 7-8 round. For Senegal, the blown 14-point lead cost them a chance at quarter-final positioning and ultimately saw them end the tournament outside the top eight.
Verdict
A game of two stark halves — Senegal controlled everything until half-time, then nothing after it. Tunisia's defensive adjustments and composure during the 17-0 run showed maturity beyond their years. For the neutral, the comeback was the most dramatic sequence of the group phase. For Senegal, it was a collapse from which they never recovered.
Statistics are for informational purposes only. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
API data: 16 Aug 2026