INES KPAKOLE
BOITUMELO RANTAO
PATRIOTS Basketball Club overcame Malagasy team Gendamarie Nationale Basketball Club (GNBC) 78-72 after a resilient performance from GNBC at the inaugural Basketball Africa League underway in Kigali, Rwanda.
Elly Randriamampionona and Kiady Razanamahenina scored in double-figures for GNBC scoring 13 and 21 points respectively. Kenyan international Bush Wamukota impressed scoring 11 points and nabbing 11 rebounds for the Patriots
American Brandon Costner secured back-to-back player of the game awards after scoring 16 along with 8 rebounds, whilst Rwandan Dieudonne Ndizeye also scored 11 for the undefeated Patriots.
Mozambican club Ferroviário de Maputo defeated AS Douanes 88-74 in a group C affair at the Kigali Arena in Kigali, Rwanda.
Ferroviario lept to an early 21-12 lead led by smooth orchestrating from point guard Myck Kabongo.
AS Douanes looked to be falling further away from Ferroviario until a dunk from guard Mamadou Faye sparked the Senegalese team back within one-point.
Both teams traded blows with the scores closely knitted throughout the tie. Ferroviario Forward Alvaro Masa proved the difference between the teams energizing his team and powering on his way to 26 points and 9 rebounds. Adjehi Baru bruised AS Douanes en route to a double-double posting 13 points and 11 rebounds in the contest.
