Africa-Press – Angola. Petro de Luanda kicked off, this Thursday, the preliminary phase of the Nile conference of the African Basketball League (BAL) by beating Uganda’s City Oilers, by 89-71, with Gakou in the command.
The pole Aboubakar Gakou was the team’s best scorer with 16 points as if to justify the fact that he was elected the most valuable player (MVP) of the final of the National Championship recently ended.
The challenge, referring to the first round of the Nile conference, taking place in Cairo (Egypt), was marked by moments of balance until the Angolan champion imposed his defensive, offensive and external game.
Facing an emerging opponent in the evolved world of continental basketball, the Angolans dug a 10-0 margin right at the start of the game, winning the first quarter by 21-14.
It was not expected, but in the second period Petro experienced difficulties and reached the break with a short advantage of 42-39. Before that, there was a tie at 42 points.
Serene on the court, Uganda’s formation brought a different way of playing, without the Angolan champion being able to control the challenge, at a time marked by less discernment in defensive and offensive actions, but they won by 66-59.
It was right at the beginning of the fourth and last period that Petro showed all the superiority and not even the Americans Falado Jones (22 pts) and Justice JR (20 pts) were able to avoid the defeat of the Ugandans.
In the last stage, the “tricolors” improved in defense and attack, including in the outside game, ending up triumphing quietly, by 89-71, and joining the other winners of the opening day.
The teams scored as follows:
Petro de Luanda: Childe Dundão (11) Aboubakar Gakou (16), Carlos Morais (11), Souleyman Diabate (09), Gerson Gonçalves (09), Jone Pedro (08), Ater Majok (08), Glofate Buiamba (04) Gerson Domingos (02), Damian Hollis (11), Pedro Bastos (00) and Selfedin Hendawy (00).
Coach: José Neto
City Oilers: Falado Jones (22), Justice Jr (20), Germaine Roebuck (06), Ngor Barnaba (03), Jimmy Enabu (03), Osegun Obe (03), Fayed Baale (02), Abdihaki Ghedi (01) , James Okello (01) and Tony Drileba (00)
Coach: Mandy Jurumi
With this result, Petro has two points, in the second position of the leaderboard, the same as the leader Al Alhy, from Egypt, and Cape Town Tigers, from South Africa, in third.
The whole of the road axis will evolve again on Saturday against Ferroviário da Beira, from Mozambique, from 16:00.
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