Africa-Press – Angola. Played on Saturday and Sunday, on various stages across the country, the first two rounds of the National Senior Men’s Basketball Championship saw an unexpected defeat and a predictable victory.
In the competition’s debut, on Saturday, two-time champion Petro de Luanda was surprised by Vila Clotilde after losing 86-88, in a game played at the ISPTEC Pavilion.
The defending champions, clear favorites in the match, were leading at half-time, by 49-44, but the willfulness of their opponents resulted in an unexpected triumph, at least according to sports critics.
Petro is the best team in the country in recent years. In addition to being a “chronic” candidate in all national competitions, he is now focused on the continent, where he twice became runner-up in the African Basketball League (new version of the African competition sponsored by FIBA-Africa and NBA) .
However, despite having different sporting structures and competitive objectives, Vila Clotilde is a team on the rise, and it is not by chance that they played and lost the final of the Luanda Provincial Championship against Interclube.
Interclube, third placed in the previous edition, beat Casa do Pessoal do Porto do Lobito on Sunday in Benguela, by 91-84.
In this match on the 2nd round, held at the CPPL pavilion, in the city of Lobito, the “police” fulfilled their obligation as favorites, despite losing at half-time, by 42-53.
The clash between 1.o de Agosto, runner-up, and Atlético Sport Aviação (ASA), postponed at the request of the aviators, should take place as soon as a new date is rescheduled.
Known results of the 1st round (Saturday)
Petro de Luanda-Vila Clotilde (86-88)
Inter B- Petro B (79-55)
Kwanza-Akira Academy Sports Training Club (postponed sine die)
Known results of the 2nd round (Sunday)
Interclube-Casa do Pessoal do Porto do Lobito (91- 84)
Clube dos Amigos do Basquetebol de Benguela-Jesus Cristo Basketball (94-95)
1st of August-ASA (postponed sine die)
Third round (Tuesday, 24)
1st of August-Porto do Lobito Staff House (6pm, Victorino Cunha pavilion)
Interclube-Inter B (6pm, 28th February pavilion)
Petro B-Kwanza Sports Training Club (4pm, ISPTEC pavilion)
Akira Academy-Clube dos Amigos basketball (3pm, February 28th)
Jesus Christ Basketball-Petro de Luanda (6pm, Dream Space)
ASA-Vila Clotilde (4pm, Citadel’s main pavilion).
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