{"id":42880,"date":"2023-05-25T15:44:19","date_gmt":"2023-05-25T15:44:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/all-news\/bal-pictorial-al-ahly-edge-stade-malien-to-set-final-date-with-as-douanes"},"modified":"2023-05-25T16:09:23","modified_gmt":"2023-05-25T16:09:23","slug":"bal-pictorial-al-ahly-edge-stade-malien-to-set-final-date-with-as-douanes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/sport\/bal-pictorial-al-ahly-edge-stade-malien-to-set-final-date-with-as-douanes","title":{"rendered":"BAL PICTORIAL: Al Ahly edge Stade Malien to set final date with AS Douanes"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Rwanda. <\/strong><\/span>Semi-final<\/b>
\nAl Ahly 78-73 Stade Malien <\/b><\/p>\n

Egyptian giants Al Ahly will rub shoulders with Senegal\u2019s AS Douanes in the 2023 Basketball Africa League (BAL) final after beating Stade Malien of Mali 78-73 in Wednesday night\u2019s semi-final game held at BK Arena.<\/p>\n

Ehab Amin, an Egyptian shooting guard, again showed his class against the Malians with his team high 21 points and six rebounds, while Michael Thompson added 12 points.<\/p>\n

Both sides were tied at 17-17 in the first quarter, but Stade Malien took a step in advance in the second to win 21-16 to go into half-time leading the game with 38-33.<\/p>\n

But Al Ahly bounced back in the second half with a commanding 25-15 third quarter win to take control of the game with a five-point lead.<\/p>\n

The Malians had 10 minutes to make fight back but Al Ahly defended their lead till last second of the final quarter which ends both teams tied with 20-20.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe did a very good job in the second half. They are a very good team but we took home the win,\u201d said Amin Ehab in a post-match press conference.<\/p>\n

Asked about his thoughts for Saturday\u2019s game, the shooting guard said,\u201cwe got to do a better job. We needed to finish out early and make the free throws.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s one of the BAL advantages. High pressure time is very tough and very close.\u201d<\/p>\n

Al Ahly may be inches closer to wining their first BAL championship, but head coach Agustin Juilbe Bosch remains tight-lipped about whether his team is favorite to take it home.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is a possibility that we win and there is a possibility that they win,\u201d Bosche adding that it was still early to decide.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Petro de Luanda face Stade Malien in a third place game on Friday.<\/p>\n

Al Ahly players formed a defensive wall against Stade Malien who were under pressure to fight back in the final minutes trying to force an overtime.<\/p>\n

Al Ahly’s Seif Said passes the ball past watchful Stade Malien players during Wednesday’s semifinal encounter.<\/p>\n

Al Alhy star shooting guard Ehab Amin was once again at the top of his form, contributing 21 points and six rebounds to help his team advance to the final in their first BAL season.<\/p>\n

Former NBA basketball player Joachim Noah was in attendance as Al Ahly beat Stade Malien 78-73 on Wednesday night to set a final date with Senegal’s AS Douanes on Saturday.<\/p>\n

Stade Malien’s Makan Keita tries to dribble past Ehab Amin as his side tried to chase the Egyptian lead.<\/p>\n

Stade Malien’s Rueben Chinyelu jumps high try block Al Ahly’s Amr El Gendy from shooting in an attempt to narrow the Egyptians’ lead.<\/p>\n\r\n