SHEFFIELD (Julio Chitunda's African Message) - Imagine if a team publicly assumes being an outsider and is not included in the title race at a competition but then proceeds to stun everyone by going all the way and winning the event.

This is what I have been thinking over the course of the past few months regarding AfroBasket 2015, which tips off on Wednesday in Rades, Tunisia.

I've always loved the underdogs and I can't wait to see, over the course of the next two weeks, if an outsider stuns us all and secures direct qualification for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

It is part of journalism work to analyse, discuss and report facts, but there is always someone out there prepared to prove that things are not always what they appear to be.

Obviously, I have picked a bunch of teams with realistic chances of competing for the title at the 16-team event based on the quality of their rosters, preparations and ambitions.

However, teams such as Morocco, Egypt and Algeria who are expected to attract big number of travelling fans mainly due to their geographic proximity to Tunisia, seem to tick the boxes for this AfroBasket outsiders.

Think about Egypt's astonishing second-place accomplished at AfroBasket 2013.

They lost their first three games, then upset Tunisia, knocked-out Cape Verde in the Quarter-Finals, and caused the biggest shock of the tournament by beating hyper-favourite Senegal in the Semi-Final, a team they had lost to in their tournament opener.

And that's the reason I can't stop thinking about what Egypt's head coach Ahmed Marei told me soon after he took over in April.

He dismissed any talk of the Egyptians being title contenders, reminding me that they are prioritising the team's rebuilding process.

But let's just wait and see whether or not that's a way to distract everyone from their title ambitions.

Meanwhile, with the exception of hosts Tunisia - who achieved a third-place finish at AfroBasket 2009 - North African teams have under-performed in the two editions of FIBA's flagship event held in this part of the continent. First in Algeria (2005), then in Libya (2009).

And that's what makes this year's AfroBasket a challenge for Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt and Morocco.

But there are a few more self-described underdogs in Tunisia 2015.

Last week, Morocco new coach Toni Vujanic reminded me that everyone insisted on talking about Nigeria and Senegal, but he declared his team as being a Semi-Final contender.

We are the underdogs who can become big dogs. - Vujanic

Another self-declared outsider goes by the name of Gabon.

And their most renowned player Stephane Lasme once told me: “We are underdogs, which is not a bad place to be. We have no pressure.

I think we can make some noise. - Lasme

Ten years since their last appearance in the tournament, it would be fascinating to see Gabon make some real noise.

How about debutants Zimbabwe?

Well, their star player Vitalis Chikoko had some bold words for a team that aims at "reach Quarter-Finals" as he suggested.

But he was also realistic: “We are going to need to run the floor, shoot the ball well and compete. It’s going to be all about team work.”

Let the real underdogs fight begin, and I am here in Rades, Tunisia, to witness it. 

Julio Chitunda

FIBA

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