Do-or-die for Rwanda's basketball team

Sunday Group BBurkina Faso vs Morocco - 2:30pmTunisia vs Rwanda - 7:30pm Group DNigeria vs CameroonCongo vs Mali RWANDA men’s basketball team face an uphill battle when they take on Fiba Afrobasket Champions defending champions Tunisia in the final Group B match this evening in Abidjan. Rwanda, with a 1-1 ratio following a 80-61 win over Burkina Faso and 57-87 loss against Morocco in opening two games, must find a way of overcoming the mighty Tunisians in bid to reach the quarter-finals. This will be the third time that both nations are meeting in a Fiba Afrobasket competition and the North African giants hold a 2-0 record. In 2009, Tunisia beat Rwanda 74-57 before repeating the same feat in 2011 with a 69-37 win. Head coach Moise Mutokambali expects a tough outing for his men, “We know Tunisia are a very strong team, and not that but they’re also the defending champions. Nonetheless, we have no option but to out there and give our best shot possible.” The Tunisian head coach Adel Tlatli said that his team’s objective is to win all their matches and ensure that they qualify for the 2014 FIBA World Cup to be held in Spain. “Our focus during the Afrobasket in Abidjan is not about defending our title but picking one of the three tickets to the Madrid 2014 World Cup,” Tlatli said on Friday. While Rwanda lost their second game 87-57 to Morocco, Tunisia recorded the second straight win by thrashing debutants Burkina Faso 100-45. Elsewhere, there will be action in Group D when Nigeria take on Cameroon, while Congo Brazzaville face-off Mali. Nigeria clinched the second straight win at the Championship with a 93-73 win over Congo and Cameroon demolished Mali 89-35 for 2-0 win record in Group D on Friday.