Petro Athletico de Luanda demonstrated their dominance over the Cape Town Tigers on the second day of the tournament.
Last Updated on
March 11, 2024
The news shocked basketball fans when they woke up to find out Dynamo had forfeited the game despite their victory against the host club, the Cape Town Tigers, on the season's opening day. The Burundian champions, Dynamo, decided to withdraw from their second game of the season due to issues with advertising on their shirts. However, as discussions continue, there is still hope for a resolution to this situation.
To replace the forfeited game, the BAL organisers came up with a commendable initiative by arranging a "Special Olympics" event for individuals with disabilities, featuring the participation of the FUS Rabat team.
Ultimately, the second day of the BAL in Pretoria culminated in a solitary match between the teams that faced defeat on the opening day: Petro de Luanda, who lost to FUS Rabat, and Cape Town Tigers, who Dynamo defeated.
Going into the game, both teams needed to avoid defeat to prevent themselves from facing an uncomfortable position for the remainder of the regular season. For the Cape Town Tigers, it was the familiar tale reminiscent of their opening day match: a challenging start to games and a tendency to play catch-up with the score.
The Tigers struggled in the early stages against Petro, falling behind 14-5 within just 4 minutes. By the end of the quarter, they were down 31-14. However, there was a slight improvement in the second quarter. Cape Town increased their intensity, counter-attacked effectively, and narrowed the deficit to seven points (36-29). Despite winning the second quarter 16-28, the home team still trailed by five points at halftime (47-42).
As the teams exchanged baskets, the anxious local fans and neutrals in the arena wondered: Could Cape Town mount a comeback and secure the win? This hope resonated throughout the Sunset Arena.
However, that hope waned in the third quarter as the Angolan club flawlessly executed their fast breaks. By then, they had amassed a 20-point advantage over the local heroes. As the third quarter ended, the scoreboard read 77-62 in favour of the Angolans.
The young player from the NBA Academy scored the 100th point for Petro de Luanda, marking their return to winning form and putting them back in contention. Ultimately, Petro emerged victorious with a final score of 100-88.
"We certainly won, but we weren't consistent. That's something we'll have to put right in the next few games," said Petro coach José Neto.
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