Short-handed Espoir defeated Nabaya Sofa 73-72 in a Road to BAL Elite 16 game in Abidjan, overcoming an early 11-point deficit. Herman Igouwe led with 22 points, and Junior Gybnie Mombo-Boulingui Ndougou secured the win with a decisive three-pointer.
Last Updated on
November 9, 2026
The second Elite 16 clash of the day between Nabaya Sofas and Espoir Basket Club at Palais des Sports de Treichville in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, delivered the thrills of a closely contested game, but it was marred by poor execution.
Both teams struggled with execution in the final minutes, which was unexpected for a game of this importance. Espoir secured a 73-72 win after Sharif Fordman missed a game-tying free throw with less than a second remaining.
The game was delayed as Espoir arrived late with only eight players, while Sofa, in full complement, had it written all over it. But basketball games are not won on paper; they are won on the court.
Sofa opened with an 11-0 run, but a timeout by Espoir’s coach, Herman Oganda, shifted the momentum. Espoir responded with 10 unanswered points, turning a potential blowout into a game decided on the final possession. The contest was played at a high tempo, with both teams looking to exploit transition isolations rather than run half-court sets.
With Nabaya leading 68-63 and 4:11 to play, Espoir called a timeout, then went on a 6-0 run to take the lead 69-68 with 2:52 left on the game clock.
After several poor decisions by both teams, Junior Gybnie Mombo-Boulingui Ndougou hit a crucial three-pointer to cut a 72-70 deficit to 73-72, securing the win for Espoir.
Herman Igouwe led Espoir with 22 points and 9 rebounds, while Ronald Kolmia contributed 20 points and a team-high 13 rebounds.
Fordham scored a team-high 21 points for Sofa but committed 10 turnovers. Alseny Bah (11 points, 13 rebounds) and Kabinet Kaba (12 points, 14 rebounds) also reached double figures.
