African champions Tunisia started their FIBA Afrobasket 2021 Qualifiers with a dominant 89-52 win over Madagascar on Friday afternoon.
The Tunisians scored seven unanswered points to start the game and quickly assumed a double digit lead but the Malagasy played their way back into the contest.
Madagascar rallied early in the second quarter and tied the game at 24 forcing Tunisia head coach Dirk Bauermann to call for a timeout. On return to the floor, the big Tunisians showed their might sixteen un answered points.
At the start of the third quarter, Constant Fabrice Mandimbison hit a jump shot to cut Tunisia’s lead to 11 points but that was the closest Madagascar came.
Mohamed Abbassi led Tunisia with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Radhouane Slimane (12), Mohamed Hadidane (11), and Ahmed Addami (10) also scored in double-figures.
Livio Ratianarivo and Francis Ramanampamonjy Mory scored 12 points each and were the only Madagascar player to score in double-figures.