Game Report: Bangui managed to clinch a hard-fought victory over Al Ahly Ly with a narrow margin of 96-93. The intense battle saw both teams fighting tooth and nail, with Bangui ultimately emerging victorious, keeping their slim playoff hopes alive.
Last Updated on
April 25, 2024
Jonathan Oriant
Staff Writer
The return games tipped off at the Arena Hassan Mostafa Sports in Cairo on Wednesday, April 24th. Al Ahly Sporting continued its dominance from the first game of the season, securing victories against its conference rivals and maintaining its top position in the standings.
Al Ahly Sporting holds the top spot in the standings, followed closely by Al Ahly Benghazi, who are vying to secure second place with two wins and one defeat against their Cairo rivals. Bangui SC follows in third place with one victory, while City Oilers are still searching for their first points.
The day's clashes are the return games of the opening fixtures of the 2024 Nile Conference, with the first game pitting Bangui against Benghazi. In their previous encounter, Benghazi left a lasting impression with a decisive 23-point victory (93-71) over Bangui, setting the stage for an eagerly anticipated rematch in the Nile Conference.
Things have changed since then, and as the team captain promised in a press conference:
"We are warriors and we are not going to give up on this championship."
Since then, Bangui has not only defeated City Oilers but also posed a formidable challenge to Al Ahly, pushing them to the brink until the final quarter, when they narrowly lost. Bangui exhibited a relentless pace, intense gameplay, and solid defence. Yet the question looms: Can they replicate this performance against the day's opponents?
Their adversaries won in their last match against City Oilers but stumbled in the third quarter, resulting in a point-sharing finale. Observers have criticised the Libyan club for their lack of rotation. Ivan Jeremic, their Serbian coach, has been cautious about changes, often relying on the same five players, leaving them vulnerable. Can they endure the physicality of the Central Africans? Not initially, as Bangui surged to a 7-0 lead through swift counter-attacks.
However, two outside shots from Solo Diabate and Murphy quickly brought Al Ahly back into contention. The lead oscillated between the teams, with the Libyan club narrowly ahead by a single point at the end of the first quarter (16-15).
Bangui intensified their defence and extended their lead in the second period, going up 28-20. Despite a fierce battle, Bangui claimed the quarter 32-29, leading by two points at halftime (47-45). Under François Enyengue's directive to 'run and run,' Bangui extended their lead in the third quarter. They commanded a 71-52 lead with two minutes left, closing the period at 71-59.
Although Al Ahly closed the gap to two points in the final quarter, they couldn't halt Bangui's march to a crucial 96-93 victory.
