TWO continental powerhouses punched their tickets to the Basketball Africa League semifinals Tuesday night, as Rwanda’s APR demolished Nigeria’s Rivers Hoopers 104-73 and defending champions Petro de Luanda of Angola overcame Tunisia’s US Monastir 95-84 at SunBet Arena.
APR’s explosive offensive display left Rivers Hoopers reeling from the opening tip. The Rwandan squad shot a blistering 50 percent from three-point range and an even more impressive 62.5 percent from the field, turning what many expected to be a competitive quarterfinal into a 31-point rout.
Nuni Omot spearheaded APR’s balanced attack with 21 points, while Aliou Diarra dominated both ends of the floor with 20 points and 10 rebounds. The duo’s stellar play helped APR pull away decisively in the second half, leaving Rivers Hoopers scrambling to find answers.
“We came out with intensity and executed our game plan perfectly,” said an APR spokesperson following the victory. Despite Madut Akec’s team-high 21 points and Raphael Putney’s 12-point contribution, Rivers Hoopers could not match APR’s relentless pace and precision shooting.
In the night’s second quarterfinal, Petro de Luanda proved why they entered the tournament as defending champions, weathering an early US Monastir surge to secure their semifinal berth. The Angolan giants leaned on veteran leadership and clutch shooting down the stretch to pull away from the determined Tunisian squad.
Kendrick Ray led all scorers with 20 points, providing the steady hand Petro needed in crucial moments. Yanick Moreira added 15 points in a supporting role that showcased the team’s championship depth.
US Monastir refused to go quietly, with Patrick Hardy Jr. pouring in 17 points and Firas Lahyani contributing 15. However, their late-game execution faltered against Petro’s championship experience, as the defending champions pulled away in the final minutes to secure the 11-point victory.
The semifinal stage is now set for Wednesday, July 11, with both matches promising to deliver high-stakes continental basketball. Libya’s Al Ahli Tripoli will face the surging APR squad at 4:00 p.m. CAT, followed by Egypt’s Al Ittihad squaring off against defending champions Petro de Luanda at 7:00 p.m. CAT.
APR’s commanding quarterfinal performance has established them as a legitimate threat to dethrone the defending champions, while Petro de Luanda’s workmanlike victory demonstrated the championship composure that carried them to last year’s title.
With four nations represented in the final four, Wednesday’s semifinals promise to showcase the best of African basketball as teams battle for a place in the BAL championship game.
