DAKAR (Senegal) - For the second game in a row, 2024 Women's Basketball League Africa (WBLA) hosts ASC Ville de Dakar have lost a crucial game in the very last minute, after falling to Rwanda's APR 96-94 in the third-place clash.
APR, powered by the trio of Italee Lucas, Kierstan Bell and Shaina Pellington gave away a 16-point lead to put themselves under pressure, winning the match in over-time.
Former African champion Italee proved crucial for the side, dropping 30 points with an 80% shooting performance on the paint, uncharacteristic of the lethal three-point shooter who finished with five from range.
TURNING POINT: APR led 23-11 in the opening quarter but the hosts went on a run to tie the game at 37 heading to the locker rooms and the second half was a game of runs, this time Charles Mushumba's APR chasing the lead. Pellington and Diakite made sure to pull their side through in OT, as the side's stars were shut out, for the victory. HERO: Lucas who played the better part of the second half with four fouls managed to stay out of trouble, knocking down three of her five treys in the last stanza to pull APR back from ruins and give them a fighting chance. She assisted Pellington's last basket with 12 seconds on the clock, Mushumba's charges holding on for OT.
The Canadian Olympian, Pellington and Diakite made all the difference for APR, scoring 6 and 5 each in the five additional minutes while helping make crucial stops for victory. STATS DON'T LIE: ASCVD bench dominated 45-3 with the side also better on the paint (64-30) but allowing APR to shoot 11-of-27 from behind the arc was the home side's major undoing. The Rwandese also made use of their opportunities on the line, converting 23 of 30 while the hosts missed 10 (9/19). BOTTOM LINE: APR finished 0-6 on debut on the African stage in 2022, missed out last year only to return a better side for the 2024 edition to settle for bronze. ASCVD, meanwhile, have missed out on what would have been their history-extending title, losing the Semis by one and a place on the podium by two.
THEY SAID: "This is a proud moment for us as the first Rwandese women's side to reach the podium of an African competition. Credit to my players for their composure under pressure and for fighting to the last whistle for this bronze. We are grateful to have the opportunity to play here and prove ourselves," APR coach Charles Mushumba. "We all learned a lot from this tournament and had to play together for this. Towards the end we had momentum that pulled us through as they are a good and tough side to play. Overall it was a great experience being in Dakar and winning this medal," Shaina Pellington, APR point guard. "Congratulations to APR for this win. We did not have the best start. We were in sleep mode as a team in the opening quarter and we did not understand what was at stake. We lacked focus and gave APR the opportunity to gain momentum in the end for this win," Moustapha Gaye, head coach ASCVD.
FIBA