Senegalese point guard Brancou Badio has been named Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the first round of the FIBA 2027 World Cup Africa Qualifiers, the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) announced.
FIBA also unveiled its All-Star Five for this first phase and the winner of the Rising Star Award.
The 27-year-old Badio contributed to Senegal’s basketball campaign, which saw them achieve a record of five wins and one loss in the first two FIBA World Cup qualifying windows, played in February and July.
The Senegalese point guard played in five of his team’s six games, averaging 20.2 points, 7 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and a performance rating of 23.8 per game.
Absent during the first-round Group B loss to Ivory Coast (90-80), he shone in the return match, scoring 23 points, adding six assists and nine rebounds, leading Senegal to an 85-72 victory.
In addition to his MVP title, Brancou Badio was named to the All-Tournament First Round Team alongside Mali’s Siriman Kanoute, Angola’s Childe Dundao, Côte d’Ivoire’s Assemian Moulare, and
Cameroon’s Jeremiah Hill.
Siriman Kanoute averaged 19.2 points and 9.2 assists, setting a tournament record with 15 assists in Mali’s 80-79 win over Angola.
Childe Dundao, the reigning AfroBasket MVP, led Angola’s statistics with averages of 17.8 points, 7.8 assists, 3.8 steals, and an efficiency rating of 18.
For Côte d’Ivoire, Assemian Moulare averaged 16 points and 6.3 assists, contributing to the Elephants’ record of five wins and one loss.
Jeremiah Hill emerged as Cameroon’s primary leader, averaging 15 points, 5.8 assists, and 2.3 steals.
FIBA also awarded the Rising Star prize to Malagasy point guard Mathias M’Madi.
Despite Madagascar’s six losses, the 21-year-old distinguished himself throughout this first phase, notably posting a 22-point, six-rebound, and six-assist performance against Ivory Coast.
These awards, introduced for the first time by FIBA, recognise the top-performing players in the first round of the 2027 World Cup qualifiers in Africa.
Only players who participated in at least four of the six games were eligible.
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