# Tunisia men's national basketball team

The Tunisia men's national basketball team (Arabic: منتخب تونس لكرة السلة), nicknamed The Eagles of Carthage, represents Tunisia in international basketball. The team is governed by the Tunisia Basketball Federation (FTBB). To date, she has taken part in the regional championship the AfroBasket 23 times. In terms of the number of successful performances, it is inferior to the traditionally strong teams of Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire, and Egypt. In 2011, the Tunisian national team became the champion of Africa for the first time in its history, defeating the Angola team in the AfroBasket 2011 final. The team's previous success was silver at the home Africa Championship 1965. The team also won bronze medals in the 1970, 1974, 2009 and 2015 competitions.
Despite fairly successful performances (the Tunisian national team never finished lower than eighth), the team was unable to repeat or even come close to the successes of the 1970s. The success of the 2009 was quite unexpected, when the team took third place at the AfroBasket 2009. Following the results of the draw, forward Amine Rzig was included in the symbolic team of the tournament, and the team in the preliminary round won 4 games with two defeats, but in three matches the Tunisian team won with a difference of two or one point. Tunisia reached the quarter-finals for the first time since 1974, where they defeated Mali by one point. And although Tunisia lost to Angola in the semi-finals, Cameroon was beaten in the bronze medal match, and the Tunisian team automatically qualified for the 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey. This was also the first time in the team's history that they qualified for the FIBA Basketball World Cup. However, the team performed poorly at the World Cup, losing all five matches in Group B and eventually finishing in 24th place. In 2017 as co-hosts, Tunisia won its second AfroBasket trophy by beating Nigeria 77–65 in the final. It retains its title in 2021 by beating Ivory Coast in the final with a score of 78–75.
At the Arab level, Tunisia participated in the Arab Basketball Championship 14 times, won the title four times in 1981, 1983, 2008, 2009, while it came in second place in 2022 and third place four times, the last of which was in 2023.

## History

In 2011, they won their first ever FIBA Africa Championship, after beating Angola in the final. Their previous best finish was at the FIBA Africa Championship 1965, when they won the silver medal as the host country. They also won a bronze medal at the FIBA Africa Championship 1970 and FIBA Africa Championship 1974.
Although the Tunisians never finished worse than eighth in any of their succeeding appearances, they were not able to break onto the podium again until a surprise bronze medal run at the FIBA Africa Championship 2009. Led by All-Tournament First Team forward Amine Rzig, the Tunisians went 4–2 in the preliminary rounds, winning three games by two points or less. They reached the semi-finals for only the second time since 1974, by another slim margin – this time a one-point victory over Mali. Although they were defeated by Angola in the semi-finals, the Tunisians topped Cameroon in the bronze medal game, to claim Africa's third and final automatic berth in the 2010 FIBA World Championship – its first ever FIBA World Cup berth. The Tunisians struggled to compete in the World Championship, losing all five of their games, and finishing last in Group B, and 24th overall. Yet, after almost forty years of mediocrity in Africa, Tunisia has become one of the continent's prime competitors again. Its appearances at the global stage have become a new milestone in the team's history.

## Honours
### Awards

* AfroBasket Most Valuable Player
    2011: Salah Mejri
    2021: Makram Ben Romdhane
* AfroBasket All-Tournament Team
    2009: Amine Rzig
    2011: Marouan Kechrid, Makrem Ben Romdhane, Salah Mejri
    2015: Makram Ben Romdhane (2)
    2017: Mourad El Mabrouk, Mohamed Hdidane
    2021: Omar Abada, Makram Ben Romdhane (3)

## Competitive record

Unlike other team sports, where Tunisia is well positioned at the regional level, the Tunisian men's basketball team has not managed to expand its list of trophies even if at the continental level it can consider among the most awarded countries. Finalist of the African championship held in home in 1965, four times third and twice fourth, Tunisia did not succeed in becoming African champion of the discipline until 2011 without however maintaining its rank since, during the following edition, it is relegated to ninth place.
At the Arab level, the prize list is more extensive with four champion titles, in 1981, 1983, 2008 and 2009, a second place and three third places. On 28 August 2011, the team won the AfroBasket for the first time after defeating Angola 67–56 in the final and qualified for the 2012 Summer Olympics.
In 2017 as co-hosts, Tunisia won its second AfroBasket by beating Nigeria 77–65 in the final. It retains its title in 2021 by beating Ivory Coast in the final with a score of 78–75. On 16 February 2022, Tunisia lost the final of the 2022 Arab Championship against Lebanon 69–72 in the United Arab Emirates.
Champions Runners up Third place Fourth place
* Red border color indicates tournament was held on home soil.

### Olympic Games

Olympic Games :
| Year | Round | Position | GP | W | L | PF | PA | PD |
| 1936 | Part of France | Part of France | Part of France | Part of France | Part of France | Part of France | Part of France | Part of France |
| 1948 | Part of France | Part of France | Part of France | Part of France | Part of France | Part of France | Part of France | Part of France |
| 1952 | Part of France | Part of France | Part of France | Part of France | Part of France | Part of France | Part of France | Part of France |
| 1956 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1960 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1964 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1968 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1972 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1976 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1980 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1984 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1988 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1992 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1996 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2000 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2004 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2008 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2012 | Group stage | 11th | 5 | 0 | 5 | 320 | 411 | −91 |
| 2016 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2020 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2024 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| Total | Group stage | 1/18 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 320 | 411 | −91 |

### FIBA World Cup

World Cup :
| Year | Round | Position | GP | W | L | PF | PA | PD |
| 1950 | Part of France | Part of France | Part of France | Part of France | Part of France | Part of France | Part of France | Part of France |
| 1954 | Part of France | Part of France | Part of France | Part of France | Part of France | Part of France | Part of France | Part of France |
| 1959 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1963 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1967 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1970 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1974 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1978 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1982 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1986 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1990 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1994 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1998 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2002 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2006 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2010 | Group stage | 24th | 5 | 0 | 5 | 300 | 407 | −107 |
| 2014 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2019 | Group stage | 20th | 5 | 3 | 2 | 377 | 386 | −9 |
| 2023 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2027 | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined |
| Total | Group stage | 2/17 | 10 | 3 | 7 | 677 | 793 | −116 |

### AfroBasket

AfroBasket :
| Year | Round | Position | GP | W | L | PF | PA | PD |
| 1962 | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter |
| 1964 | Fourth place | 4th | 5 | 2 | 3 | 300 | 297 | +3 |
| 1965 | Runners-up | 2nd | 4 | 2 | 2 | 212 | 217 | −5 |
| 1968 | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter |
| 1970 | Third place | 3rd | 4 | 2 | 2 | 268 | 220 | +48 |
| 1972 | Group stage | 5th | 6 | 4 | 2 | 482 | 398 | +84 |
| 1974 | Third place | 3rd | 6 | 4 | 2 | 471 | 451 | +20 |
| 1975 | Classification stage | 5th | 5 | 0 | 5 | 411 | 426 | −15 |
| 1978 | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter |
| 1980 | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter |
| 1981 | Classification stage | 6th | 5 | 3 | 2 | 295 | 355 | −60 |
| 1983 | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter |
| 1985 | Classification stage | 8th | 6 | 2 | 4 | 402 | 467 | −65 |
| 1987 | Classification stage | 5th | 4 | 2 | 2 | 292 | 294 | −2 |
| 1989 | Classification stage | 8th | 6 | 2 | 4 | 488 | 512 | −24 |
| 1992 | Classification stage | 7th | 5 | 1 | 4 | 284 | 308 | −24 |
| 1993 | Classification stage | 8th | 5 | 1 | 4 | 410 | 451 | −41 |
| 1995 | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter |
| 1997 | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter |
| 1999 | Classification stage | 5th | 6 | 4 | 2 | 314 | 309 | +5 |
| 2001 | Fourth place | 4th | 7 | 4 | 3 | 536 | 522 | +14 |
| 2003 | Classification stage | 6th | 6 | 3 | 3 | 433 | 389 | +44 |
| 2005 | Quarter-finals | 8th | 8 | 2 | 6 | 527 | 529 | −2 |
| 2007 | Quarter-finals | 6th | 6 | 3 | 3 | 428 | 415 | +13 |
| 2009 | Third place | 3rd | 9 | 6 | 3 | 659 | 641 | +18 |
| 2011 | Champions | 1st | 7 | 7 | 0 | 544 | 375 | +169 |
| 2013 | Round of 16 | 9th | 5 | 4 | 1 | 382 | 311 | +71 |
| 2015 | Third place | 3rd | 7 | 6 | 1 | 484 | 425 | +59 |
| 2017 | Champions | 1st | 6 | 6 | 0 | 428 | 347 | +81 |
| 2021 | Champions | 1st | 6 | 6 | 0 | 470 | 383 | +87 |
| 2025 | Qualified | Qualified | Qualified | Qualified | Qualified | Qualified | Qualified | Qualified |
| Total | 3 Titles | 24/31 | 134 | 76 | 58 | 9520 | 9042 | +478 |

### AfroCan

AfroCan :
| Year | Round | Position | GP | W | L | PF | PA | PD |
| 2019 | Quarterfinals | 7th | 5 | 3 | 2 | 356 | 339 | +17 |
| 2023 | Quarterfinals | 5th | 5 | 4 | 1 | 335 | 306 | +29 |
| Total | Quarterfinals | 2/2 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 691 | 645 | +46 |

### Other records

| Tournament | Round | Position | GP | W | L |
| 1957 Pan Arab Games | Third place | 3rd | – | – | – |
| 1973 African Games | Champions | 1st | – | – | – |
| 1978 African Games | Third place | 3rd | – | – | – |
| 1981 Arab Championship | Champions | 1st | – | – | – |
| 1983 Arab Championship | Champions | 1st | – | – | – |
| 1985 Pan Arab Games | Third place | 3rd | – | – | – |
| 1991 Arab Championship | Third place | 3rd | – | – | – |
| 1992 Arab Championship | Third place | 3rd | – | – | – |
| 1992 Pan Arab Games | Third place | 3rd | – | – | – |
| 2002 Arab Championship | Third place | 3rd | – | – | – |
| 2003 King's Cup | Third place | 3rd | – | – | – |
| 2004 King's Cup | Runners-up | 2nd | – | – | – |
| 2007 King's Cup | Runners-up | 2nd | – | – | – |
| 2007 Arab Championship | Third place | 3rd | – | – | – |
| 2008 Arab Championship | Champions | 1st | – | – | – |
| 2008 King's Cup | Champions | 1st | – | – | – |
| 2009 Arab Championship | Champions | 1st | – | – | – |
| 2011 King's Cup | Runners-up | 2nd | – | – | – |
| 2012 Stanković Cup | Third place | 3rd | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| 2013 Mediterranean Games | Third place | 3rd | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| 2018 Stanković Cup | Runners-up | 2nd | – | – | – |
| 2019 Stanković Cup | Third place | 3rd | – | – | – |
| 2019 Czech Republic Tournament | Runners-up | 2nd | – | – | – |
| 2021 King's Cup | Third place | 3rd | – | – | – |
| 2022 Arab Championship | Runners-up | 2nd | 5 | 4 | 1 |
| 2023 Arab Championship | Third place | 3rd | 7 | 5 | 2 |

## Team
### Current roster

Roster for the 2023 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers matches on 26, 27 and 28 August 2022 against Egypt, Senegal and DR Congo.

### Depth chart

| Pos. | Starting 5 | Bench 1 | Bench 2 |
| C | Salah Mejri | Mokhtar Ghyaza | |
| PF | Makram Ben Romdhane | Firas Lahiani | Yacine Toumi |
| SF | Michael Roll | Ziyed Chennoufi | Mohamed Hadidane |
| SG | Mourad El Mabrouk | Oussama Marnaoui | |
| PG | Omar Abada | Achref Gannouni | |

### All Time Head coaches

| Period | Head Coach |
| 1957–1959 | Hammadi Driss |
| 1960–1961 | Griffith |
| 1961–1962 | Borhane Errais |
| 1962–1963 | Miodrag Stefanović |
| 1963–1965 | Borhane Errais |
| 1965–1966 | Valensky |
| 1966–1967 | Faherty |
| 1967–1968 | Katarinsky |
| 1968–1971 | Igor Tocigl |
| 1971 | Václav Krása |
| 1971–1972 | Bill Sweek |
| 1972–1978 | Mohamed Senoussi |
| Period | Head Coach |
| 1978–1979 | Khaled Senoussi |
| 1979–1981 | Mohamed Senoussi |
| 1981 | Khaled Senoussi |
| 1982–1983 | Mohamed Zaouali |
| 1983–1987 | Youri Velligoura |
| 1988–1990 | Ridha Laabidi |
| 1990–1991 | Mohamed Senoussi |
| 1991–1992 | Khaled Senoussi |
| 1992–1994 | Mohamed Zaouali |
| 1994–1996 | Igor Tocigl |
| 1997–1998 | Juan Manuel Monsalve |
| 1998–1999 | Mustapha Bouchenak |
| Period | Head Coach |
| 1999–2000 | Zoran Zupecevic |
| 2000–2001 | Francis Jordane & Mounir Ben Sliman |
| 2001–2002 | Adel Tlatli |
| 2002–2003 | Marijan Novović |
| 2004 | Walid Gharbi |
| 2004–2016 | Adel Tlatli |
| 2016–2020 | Mário Palma |
| 2020–2022 | Dirk Bauermann |
| 2022–2023 | Erman Kunter |
| 2023 | Mário Palma |
| 2023–present | Mehdy Mary |

## Kit
### Manufacturer

2015 – Nike

### Sponsor

2015 – Tunisie Telecom