High-flying Senegal becomes first team to pass 100-point mark at AfroBasket 2021

 

KIGALI (Rwanda) - Senegal on Friday became the first team at the FIBA AfroBasket 2021 to reach and pass the 100-point mark after trouncing debutant South Sudan 104-75 in their second game of Group D in Kigali, Rwanda. 

Brancou Badio was simply superb for the former African champions who improved to 2-0, while South Sudan dropped to 1-1.

The 22-year-old guard was on fire, burying his 3-of-6 three-pointers to finish with game-highs 22 points and seven assists.

Brancou Badio

The Senegalese were so dominant that they headed for break one-point short of the 50-point mark, leading South Sudan 49-32.

It was Senegal's second large win margin after demolishing Uganda 93-58 to establish the biggest winning margin in the tournament so far.

Senegal never trailed, outclassed South Sudan at every aspect of the game, and with exception of Bouba Toure, all Senegalese scored three points or more each. 

Gorgui Dieng remains a force to be reckogned with for the Lions as he contributed 17 points and seven rebounds, and Ibrahima Faye continues to show signs of his progress by registering his first double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds.

In South Sudan's first-ever AfroBasket game, Teny Bak Puot, a key member of the South Sudanese team throughout the Qualifiers, struggled with his shooting, finishing 0-of-7 from the floor, although he was a facilitator, dishing out a team-best seven assists.

Dhieu Abwok Deing and  Kuany Ngor Kuany contributed 17 points apiece, but the game belonged to the high-flying Senegal team.

In the first game of Group D on Friday, South Sudan's neighbours Uganda registered their second triumph in the history of AfroBasket after beating Cameroon 80-66.

 Deng John Geu contributed 17 points in Uganda's second win in the history of AfroBasket

In their AfroBasket debut six years ago in Tunisia, Uganda beat Zimbabwe 72-64, and on Friday they outplayed higher-ranked Cameroon for most of the contest.

Toronto Raptors' new recruit Ishmail Wainright was a point short of the AfroBasket 2021's first triple-double after finising with nine points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists; his teammate  Adam Seiko led Uganda in scoring for the second straight game, finishing with a game-high 20 points. 

 D.J. Strawberry and Kenny Kadji - the only two Cameroonians to score in double digits - finished with 17 and 11 points, respectively.

In Group C's opener on Friday, Matt Costello-led Cote d'Ivoire dispatched Mali 90-67 to stay perfect in two games, while Nigeria denied Kenya their first victory winning 71-55.

Nigeria and Cote d'Ivoire share the top of Group C with two wins each, while Kenya and Mali are yet to win a game.

FIBA