Defending BAL champions Petro de Luanda secured a 76-67 victory over Sahara Conference hosts ASC Ville de Dakar. This crucial win significantly boosts their prospects of advancing to the playoffs, scheduled to take place in June in Pretoria.
Going into the weekend, all four teams in the Sahara Conference were tied with two wins from four games, with only two matches remaining for each. Automatic qualification for the playoffs is reserved for the top two teams. The third-placed team stands a chance to qualify if their regular season performance is superior to at least one of the third-placed teams from the other two conferences.
Earlier in the season, FUS Rabat finished third in the Kalahari Conference while playing on their home court. The upcoming Nile Conference games are set to be held in Kigali from May 17th to 25th.
In an earlier game on Saturday, US Monastir defeated Kriol Star 91-83, a result that also brings them close to clinching a playoff berth, although technically all four teams still have mathematical possibilities until the final games on Sunday.
The first quarter of the late game featured a seesaw battle, with both Petro and ASCVD exchanging scoring bursts from the opening tip. Glofate Buiamba was a key contributor for Petro in the early stages, scoring 10 points in the first quarter and helping the defending champions establish a 25-18 lead at the break. For Dakar, Will Perry knocked down some important shots, and Ater Majok provided his characteristic strong presence on both ends of the court.
The rhythmic drums continued in the Dakar Arena, but the home crowd and the ASCVD players started to show signs of restlessness as they were clearly outplayed during the second quarter. Tensions flared, leading to a heated verbal exchange between Makhtar Gueye and some opponents. Dakar struggled to contain the experienced guard Solo Diabaté, who was performing at a high level for Petro. By halftime, Petro had extended their lead comfortably to 47-32.
ASCVD began the second half positively with a 7-0 run, but Petro quickly regained their composure and rhythm, preventing the hosts from fully energizing the crowd. Petro responded with a 7-0 run of their own.
Samba Dali Fall then stepped up for Dakar, hitting back-to-back three-pointers, which truly ignited belief among the home crowd. However, Rigoberto Mendoza countered with a three-pointer on the other end, halting Dakar`s momentum. With Mendoza having a strong performance in the third quarter, it was difficult for the home team to significantly reduce the deficit.
As expected, the persistent Perry continued to battle, hitting a three-pointer, and Majok followed up with a signature powerful dunk. Gueye added another dunk shortly after, capitalizing on a turnover by Mendoza. The remainder of the quarter saw back-and-forth play.
Entering the final quarter, ASCVD were still hanging in the game, but Petro held a considerable 63-54 lead. Majok started the fourth quarter with a dunk to cut the lead to seven, but Childe Dundão quickly responded with a two-point layup for Petro.
ASCVD then mounted a six-point run, and by this point, the home crowd`s doubts about a potential comeback had largely disappeared.
After a free throw by Yanick Moreira stretched Petro`s lead back to six, Gueye was agonizingly close to a dunk that could have reduced the deficit to four points. However, moments later, Perry slipped, allowing Diabaté to score on a dunk.
Perry`s calm execution from the free-throw line pulled Dakar back within five points midway through the quarter, making the score 68-63 and keeping the contest alive.
While Petro may not have showcased their best offensive performance, they skillfully managed the clock and handled the pressure from the home crowd effectively in the closing minutes.
Heading into the final round of games on Sunday, Monastir leads the Sahara Conference standings, with Petro in second place. Both teams have secured three wins. In the event of a tie in wins between two teams in the conference rankings, the head-to-head record serves as the primary tiebreaker.
Should a tie occur among all four teams, the points differential will be the deciding factor. Monastir and Petro each won one game against the other during the conference phase, but Monastir holds a +4 point differential from those two encounters. Considering Monastir`s overall conference point differential of +25 and Petro`s +33, it seems highly improbable, barring a significant upset, that either team will miss the playoffs. Dakar currently has a point differential of -11, and Kriol Star -47.
With both Dakar and Kriol Star holding two wins, Kriol Star would likely require a win to surpass FUS Rabat`s record (two wins and a -19 point differential). ASCVD, however, might have a little more flexibility even with a loss, provided they finish third.
Samba Dali Fall of Ville de Dakar delivered an outstanding performance, arguably the best of the night, with 17 points, 13 rebounds, and 6 assists. However, if Libasse Faye`s team hopes to defeat Monastir in their final crucial match on Sunday, they will need a more diversified scoring effort, similar to what Petro demonstrated in their win.
