Game Updates at FIBA 2023 Intercontinental Cup: NBA G League Ignite (76) vs Al Ahly (82)
Last Updated on
January 8, 2024
Fanya Nkengasong
Staff Writer
The first day of the FIBA Intercontinental Cup 2023 saw Basketball Africa League champions Al Ahly claim the continent's first victory in the competition's history, beating rising stars NBA G League Ignite 82-76.
After Zamalek and US Monastir, who have both failed to win since the return of the competition's new format in 2022, Al Ahly has scored a historic victory for the continent and can even aim for a place in the final if they manage to beat Sesi Franca, the representative of the South American continent, on Thursday, September 21.
The Egyptian team showed no nerves on the opening day, trading blows with the young US team, and their 82-76 victory is in line with this year's trend for Egyptian basketball, which is making its mark on the world stage.
Al Ahly won the Basketball Africa League, the national team won twice and almost booked a direct flight to Paris 2024 for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023, and two of the heroes of this trip stood out in Thursday's opening Group A game in Singapore.
Ehab Amin scored 15 points, grabbed 7 rebounds and committed no turnovers in 20 minutes of play. Omar Oraby recorded a double-double of 14 points and 11 rebounds, and he wasn't the only one to record a double-double in points and rebounds, as Mostafa Kejo took 10 and 13 points off the bench.
"I'm very happy to have won this game. We always believed we could win, me and my teammates, we worked hard during the game, we believed in it and voila, we won," said Kejo after being voted player of the game.
He didn't exactly look ecstatic after claiming the first victory for an African club in the history of the FIBA Intercontinental Cup. That's because Al Ahly had planned to win this match from the start.
"We want to win the second game {against Sesi Franca}. We want to play in the final, that's our goal in this Intercontinental Cup," added Mostafa.
A two-time NBA champion with the Miami Heat also played his part for Al Ahly. Norris Cole scored 13 points and handed out 9 assists, doing his utmost to get his teammates involved as his shots were unsuccessful (4 out of 17).
Ten different players scored for coach Agustin Julbe and all played less than 30 minutes, meaning they'll be fresh for their return to the pitch at Singapore Indoor Stadium in less than 24 hours, against BCL Americas champions Sesi Franca.
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[Image/Photography Credit: FIBA]
