ASC Ville de Dakar cruises past MFM Queens

MFM Queens came into this encounter winless after their defeat to Al Ahly while ASC Ville de Dakar were looking to continue their unbeaten run after their victory over FAP two days prior. The host made sure to assert their dominance early in the game against the Nigerian team. It took a little over a minute of play for the first point to be registered courtesy of Ndeye Ndiaye. From there, the Senegalese did not take the foot off the pedal.

The Dakar-based side dominated the paint and stamped their authority quickly. They scored 14 points in the paint in the first quarter. One name that reverberated around the arena was that of 20-year-old Malian guard, Kamite Dabou. She erupted for 11 first quarter points and it seemed there was no answer for her. Right there with her was her teammate Ndeye Ndiaye who helped herself to 7 points in the first quarter. MFM Queens remained resolute to find ways that would help them fightback in the game as the quarter ended at 23-10in favor of the home team, ASC Ville de Dakar.

The second quarter started with a bit more defensive intensity with both teams struggling to find the bottom of the net for the first two minutes. However, that changed with a perfect trip to the free-throw line by Fatou Pouye of Dakar. This set things in motion for Dakar as they went up 30 -10 after a 3-point shot by Foune Sissoko.

This shot got an immediate response as Cynthia Gbihi connected with the bottom of the net from range. Fatou Pouye continued with her barrage of lay-ups and free-throws. After a quiet, scoreless first quarter, she scored 8 points in the second quarter to keep her team’s cushion. It was encouraging to see Abigail Isaac from MFM make meaningful contributions. The forward represented Nigeria at the FIBA U18 AfroBasket a few months ago where they fell short to Mali in the finals. However, she played this second quarter as though she was already experienced. She gave her team some much needed boost when they needed it most. Cynthia Gbihi, wo had only one point in the first quarter, scored 6 in the second quarter. This valiant effort was still not enough to close the gap as the home team extended its lead to 20 by the end of the quarter. They went into the break with the score at 42-22. Kamite Dabou was up to 15 points and 8 rebounds at the half.

The third quarter started with the young Nigerian star, Idubamo Beggi, finding her rhythm with points early on in the quarter. She scored the first 8 points for the MFM side. However, fatigue set in and Dakar regained momentum and began to restore the lead Beggi had cut. Fatou Pouye and Foune Sissoko continued with their consistent form as they continued their dominance in the paint and kept the foot on the peddle for the Senegalese side.

Kamite Dabou went to double figures for rebounds and secured her double-double in the third quarter. With the verve out of the Nigerian side, Beggi kept pushing. She used her speed effectively by pushing the tempo despite not always being successful in front of goal. Wandoo Hembam made a perfect trip to the line but Dakar would find a way to retaliate almost immediately. They went on a 6-0 run to close off the quarter and enjoy a 60-37 lead at the end of the third.

The Nigerian teenager, Idubamo Beggi, opened the scoring in the fourth quarter with a pull-up jump shot. This opened the way for the side to see a glimmer of hope as they went on a 6-0 run to start the quarter. However, Dakar found a way back into the game. This time, they would keep up the defensive effort and stop Beggi who caused them a lot of issues in the second half. Ndeye Ndiaye converted a 3-point play after drawing the foul on a lay-up. Fatou Pouye continued to add to her tally and did just that as she chased her double-double. It was a landslide from there as MFM could not find their defensive structure nor keep Dakar out of the paint where they continued to dominate. They went on a 12-0 run to cement stamp their authority and subsequently won 81-50.

NdeyeNdiaye had the following to say:

The coach trusts me; I got to be able to connect with the team and work on the communication.

Idubamo Beggi, the teenager, led MFM in scoring with 15 but that was still not enough to get over the edge. Ville de Dakar had two players record double-doubles in Kamite Dabou (19 points and 14 rebounds) and Ndeye Ndiaye (12 points and 11rebounds). They now prepare for their final group stage game against Egyptian powerhouse, Al Ahly.

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[Photography / Imagery Courtesy of FIBA]