For the second time in a day, a Zone 4 semifinal turned into a war of attrition decided by everything except made field goals. Gabon shot a miserable 23 percent from the floor and still found a way through, forcing overtime at 60-60 and then pulling away 11-4 in the extra period to beat the Central African Republic 71-64 and book a place in the Zone 4 final.
The Central Africans looked the better team for three quarters. They led 32-26 at halftime and were still in front 47-44 after three, shooting a far tidier 36 percent and getting 23 points from Grace a Dieu Olona and 19 from Japhet Kaigama Gonofe. But two things kept Gabon alive: the offensive glass and the foul line. Gabon hauled in 67 rebounds, 29 of them offensive, and drilled 23 of 28 free throws while the Central African Republic, by contrast, made just 5 of 16 from the stripe and coughed up 26 turnovers.
Gabon's anchor was Junior Nangha-Ngoualh, who logged 43 minutes and produced an enormous line of 13 points, 25 rebounds and six blocks. Jeremie Bryan Leyigui top-scored with 25 points, though he needed 22 shots and leaned heavily on a 12-of-14 night at the line to get there. Nathan Aboghe added 12 points and five steals.
For the Central African Republic, Stephane Khondouba posted a double-double of nine points and 12 rebounds with six blocks of his own, and Abdoul Latif Ibrahim grabbed 13 boards, but the runners-up could not buy a free throw or hold the ball in the overtime period, where they managed just four points.
The result sets up a Zone 4 final between Gabon and Chad a rematch of their group-stage meeting, and a clash of the two sides that finished the preliminary round level at 3-1. The stakes could not be clearer: the winner claims the zone's lone ticket to the 2026 FIBA U18 AfroBasket in Cote d'Ivoire, while Chad chase what would be a first appearance at the continental finals.