Monastir Bounce back to Stun Reigning Champs Petro de Luanda at BAL 2025

Monastir Bounce back to Stun Reigning Champs Petro de Luanda at BAL 2025

If the Sahara Conference of the Basketball Africa League (BAL) has taught us anything, certainty is a fleeting illusion. With every passing day, the landscape shifts dramatically, and predictions crumble. On only the second day of action, the tournament delivered yet another shock: USMonastir, the 2022 champions, stunned the reigning title-holders Petro de Luanda with an impressive 87-73 victory.

Coming off a disappointing loss to BAL newcomers ASC Ville de Dakar, Monastir faced an early moment of truth. Lose again, and their campaign would be on the edge. Win, and hope would surge anew. They chose the latter — not just with grit, but with a commanding performance that reminded everyone why they also have a championship pedigree.

The game began like a clash of titans, each team bearing the weight of past glory. Petro de Luanda, guided by their dynamic backcourt duo of ChildeDundao and Gerson Domingos, seized early control. Their crisp ball movement and defensive pressure had Monastir scrambling, and by the end of the first quarter, the Angolans led 22-17, seemingly poised to impose their will.

But basketball is a game of runs, and Monastir had theirs coming. Sparked by the relentless energy of Babacar Sané, USMO started to find their rhythm. Sané, whose athleticism and court vision lit a fire under his teammates, led a second-quarter charge that flipped the game's momentum. Monastir outscored Petro 29-23 in the frame, and suddenly, it was the Tunisians holding a slender 46-45 advantage at halftime.

The third quarter was around if the first half was a back-and-forth battle. Petro de Luanda, so composed early, seemed rattled and disjointed. Shots that once fell now rimmed out. Defensive rotations were a step slow. Monastir, sensing weakness, pounced. They opened up a six-point lead by the end of the third (68-62), with Sané, Osiris Eldridge, and Patrick Hardy Jr. leading the offensive assault.

Was the game already out of reach? In hindsight, the answer was yes. Petro managed a few flashes of brilliance, with Yanick Moreira battling inside and Rigoberto Mendoza trying to ignite a comeback. But every Angolan surge was met with a steely response from Monastir. The Tunisians controlled the tempo, dominated the boards, and, crucially, never allowed Petro to build sustained momentum.

By the time the final buzzer sounded, Monastir had secured a convincing 87-73 victory — a 14-point margin that spoke volumes about their dominance on the night. Babacar Sané led all scorers with 24 points and six rebounds, putting in a career-defining performance. Osiris Eldridge was right behind him with 23 points and four rebounds, while Patrick Hardy Jr. added 17 points and three boards.

Petro de Luanda, for their part, were not without individual standouts.EJ Anosike fought valiantly for his 16 points, Yanick Moreira chipped in 14, and Patrick Gardner and Rigoberto Mendoza added 11 each. But the collective spark that had defined Petro's championship run a year ago was missing tonight.

After the game, Sané spoke about the team’s mindset:

"We’ve been following the gameplay. This was the key to our success. I feel like we always need to be ready, so as to step up in the game. Petro de Luanda are the champions, so we had to follow the gameplay and make sure we get the win."

The win meant more than just points in the standings. For Sané, it was personal:

"It was a big win against the defending champions. They’re a very good team. We managed to talk about what happened before the game, and we said we wanted to get a win today. The coach brought me in during key moments because he knows what I can do. And it was special — my mum was watching me from the stands. She's always seen me play on TV, but to have her here to day made it even more special."

In a tournament where the unexpected has become the norm, Monastir's Semphatic response has thrown the Sahara Conference wide open. Suddenly, no one looks invincible, and every team senses an opportunity. If the rest of the competition unfolds anything like these first few days, the road to the playoffs promises to be as thrilling as unpredictable.

[Photography/ Courtesy of The BAL]