FUS Rabat asserted their dominance as they clinched a hard-fought victory against Petro Athletico de Luanda on the thrilling opening day of the 2024 Basketball Africa League season.
Last Updated on
March 10, 2024
The game started with high intensity, as both teams quickly exchanged baskets in the opening minutes. FUS Rabat initially surged ahead to a 7-2 lead, but Petro Athletico de Luanda quickly closed the gap, seizing a narrow 10-9 advantage within the first five minutes through successful free throws.
Both teams fiercely contested, exchanging leads throughout the first quarter. By the end of the period, FUS held a 23-17 advantage. Notably, the Moroccans capitalised on their opponents' turnovers, scoring eight points off turnovers in the opening quarter.
Led by Aboubakar Gakou, Petro rallied, narrowing the deficit to four points at 24-28. However, Aliou Diarra's spectacular dunks propelled his team to a ten-point lead of 41-31 as they entered halftime.
Captain Carlos Morais gave Petro some hope in the third quarter with two consecutive three-pointers and a third shot four minutes before the quarter ended, bringing the Angolan titans within seven points. Despite FUS maintaining a lead of 68-55 at the end of the period, they managed to sustain a ten-point advantage with seven minutes remaining, leading 71-61.
Unfortunately, FUS' Aliou Diarra suffered an injury during the quarter, disrupting the team's rotations. Meanwhile, the Angolans faced difficulties as they persisted with three-point attempts despite their lack of success. Trailing by 14 points (82-68), Petro struggled to regain momentum, ultimately falling short with a final score of 82-73.
"We fell on abad day and frankly, you can't win a game with just two scorers," said Carlos Morais, who finished with 19 points, speaking to journalists in the media zone.
"We knew that this Angolan team is formidable when it comes to jump shots, and each of us respected the coach's instructions, and the final result was there", said Soufiane Benmhine.
