Game Report: In an electrifying start to the 2024 Basketball Africa League's Sahara Conference, APR Basketball Club secured a hard-fought victory over Union Sportive with a final score of 89-84. The opening day showcased intense competition and spirited performances from both teams, captivating fans with thrilling basketball action.
Last Updated on
May 7, 2024
Jonathan Oriant
Staff Writer
It's time for the 2024 Sahara Conference, a stage that many critics, both at home and abroad, believe will be as good as or even better than the recent stages of the Kalahari Conference in Pretoria, South Africa, and the Nile Conference in Egypt. In truth, everything is set for a great competition.
Four teams, all gathered in Dakar and situated approximately 70 kilometres from the Saly arena, are in good physical condition. Three out of the four teams have previously competed in the BAL:
Only Rwanda's APR are newcomers to the competition, and their ambitions seem boundless.
On the intense Saturday of May 4, the Rwandan club faced off against their Tunisian counterparts in the Conference's opening game. The revelation of their starting lineup was a testament to the Rwandan club's determination, as they fielded a full squad of recruits. The game kicked off with a fiercely contested start, with APR managing a slight 14-9 lead. However, the first quarter ended with the two teams deadlocked at 20-20, setting the stage for a thrilling match.
The Tunisian club capitalised on fast breaks to secure three points while relying on their bench, which contributed six points. APR, on the other hand, focused on capitalising on their opponent's turnovers. The intensity of the game continued in the second half as both teams took turns leading, with the gap between them never exceeding ten points (25-25, 30-30, 32-32). At halftime, Monastir held a slim one-point lead (40-39), once again thanks to their bench, which scored seventeen points.
In the third quarter, the lead increased for the first time in the match. With three minutes remaining, Monastir led by five points (51-46). However, by the end of the third quarter, the lead had shrunk to just three points (55-52). It became increasingly uncertain whether US Monastir or APR would emerge victorious from this duel, as the scores were tied at 63-63 and 68-68 in the final quarter.
With just over a minute to play, Monastir led by three points (74-71) and then by one point (74-73) after Adonis Filer, who had already scored 22 points, narrowed the gap. Just as Monastir seemed poised for a narrow victory, Obadiah stepped up and scored at the buzzer, tying the game again (78-78). The game went into five minutes of extra time.
US Monastir's morale waned as they fell behind by five points (80-85) despite making free throws before narrowing the gap to just one point (84-85).
However, despite their effective bench, which contributed 29 points, the Tunisians lost by five points (89-84). Capitalising on Monastir's turnovers, APR warns their next opponents...
