BOITUMELO RANTAO
EGYPTIAN team Zamalek became winners of the inaugural Basketball Africa League (BAL) defeating finalist US Monastir 76-63 at the Kigali Arena in Kigali, Rwanda.
Monastir led by a slim margin after the first quarter and the first portion of the second, until Zamalek clawed their way back to lead 44-42 at halftime. Power Forward Micheal Fakude led Zamalek with 15 points off the bench in the final.
Mohab Yasser and Souleyman Diabate proved the difference in the encounter as the 18-year-old Yasser scored 14 points for the Egyptians. Diabate also scored 14 points, together with 6 assists and two tremendous three-pointers in the final quarter to seal the game.
Zamalek guard Walter Hodge, who scored 12 points with 4 assists in the final, earned the first-ever BAL Most Valuable Player award. Hodge spirited his team – averaging 16 points per game, 6 assists per game, and 5 rebounds per game – to multiple wins on his way to the Hakeem Olajuwon trophy.
Earlier, Angolan champions Petro de Luanda overcame home side Patriots Basketball Club 97-68 to win third-place in the inaugural BAL.
The result comes ahead of the BAL final, a North Africa affair, featuring number one seed US Monastir of Tunisia and second-seed Zamalek from Egypt. The continental tournament has attracted many high profile names including Rwandan president Paul Kagame, French president Emmanuel Macron, and Toronto Raptors President of Basketball Masai Ujiri.
