South Sudan’s Fox Basketball Club claimed a 76-67 victory over Botswana Defense Force in their Road To BAL opener in Harare, Zimbabwe. Dominating from the start, the Foxes were led by Peter Marial and Aluk Lual Adub, both securing double-doubles with 15 points and 13 rebounds and 13 points and 10 rebounds, respectively.
Last Updated on
October 23, 2024
Following the highly publicised South Sudanese Olympic basketball journey this summer, Fox Basketball Club made a triumphant debut in their Road to BAL campaign, securing a 76-67 victory against Botswana Defence Force (BDF) in Harare, Zimbabwe. The Foxes controlled the game from the outset, maintaining their dominance despite several rallies from the BDF side.
The Foxes' offence was spearheaded by Peter Marial and Aluk Lual Adub, who both delivered stellar performances. Marial posted a double-double, finishing with 15 points and 13 rebounds, while Adub chipped in with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Their impact on both ends of the floor proved too much for Botswana’s defence to handle. Not to be overlooked, Tony Marino Anthony also contributed significantly with 12 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists, showing his versatility. Stephen Garbrah rounded off the key performers for Fox with 12 points and 4 rebounds, providing additional scoring support.
BDF’s Tanaka Ndyara led his team’s efforts, putting up 15 points and grabbing 7 rebounds, while Karabo Rabothaako added 14 points and 6 rebounds. Despite their best efforts, BDF struggled to keep pace with the Foxes' relentless attack and control of the boards.
The South Sudan-based club set the tone early, racing to a 7-0 run in the first five minutes. Though BDF managed to recover and narrow the gap to 16-12 by the end of the first quarter, they could not sustain the momentum. The BDF briefly drew level at the start of the second quarter, but the Foxes responded with a commanding stretch. By halftime, Fox had built a solid 42-25 lead, thanks to a 15-point surge while limiting Botswana to just three points in the latter part of the second quarter.
The second half saw BDF attempt a comeback. They outscored the Foxes 26-16 in the third quarter, reducing the deficit to just seven points at 58-51. Despite this, Fox Basketball side remained composed. In the final quarter, the Foxes held their ground, edging BDF 18-16 to seal the 76-67 victory.
After the game, Fox’s head coach Mandy Juruni praised his team’s discipline and execution.
“We’re happy for the win. That first game was very tricky. We were playing our first game together. It’s a good boost for the team and hopefully, we can get better,” Juruni said.
Later he emphasised that staying focused and maintaining the lead was key to the win:
“I told them we needed to stay in the lead. We did not want to lose our focus. We put in efforts to control the game and try to win, and it paid off.”
Fox Basketball Club’s victory sets a promising tone for their Road to BAL journey, as they aim to build on this strong performance in their next outing.
[Photography/Imagery: Fox Basketball Club]
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