FAP outclass Tondema in Group D opener at BAL qualifiers

YAOUNDE (Cameroon) - The matchup between FAP Yaounde and Tondema of Bangui on Friday was a clash of savvy and inexperience with the most proficient side the victor.

The host held on to secure an 82-57 victory to keep their hopes high of sailing through to the Elite 16 Round of the BAL.

The difference was evident from the tipoff as Central African Republic's Tondema of Bangui, novices on the continental scene, rivalled FAP who reached the Quarter-Finals of the maiden Basketball Africa League (BAL) in May.

Tondema's quick 4-point lead in the opening quarter was dashed to the winds as Cedric Tsangue and Cedric Liale, who both played at the inaugural BAL, each scored six points to buoy their side to an 18-12 lead in the first quarter.

The second quarter saw the gap widened to 15 with FAP's bench contributing 19 points while Tondema out-rebounded the host 27-23.

Tsangue went on fire in the second half adding eight points to score a team-best 14 points, converting two of his five attempts beyond the arc.

Tondema's captain Francky Mbombo hammered home an unrivalled 16 points, snatching eight boards as 20-year old big man Omega Ngaifei hit a double-double of 14 points and 15 rebounds.

However FAP's head coach Francois Enyegue hopes his side can be more flamboyant on the court.

"We could've done better tonight," he told FIBA.basketball before adding: "We played with some aggressiveness and just did the basics.

"We had 38.8 percent success rate on field goals whereas we are averaging around 60 percent in the domestic championship this season. We can improve on this aspect"

Tondema of Bangui will rather take the positives from the defeat as they prepare for a cracker against DR Congo's Espoir Fukish on Saturday.

"We're playing our best basketball on Saturday," Tondema's head coach Jean Robert Madozein said after the game.

"The players looked very tired and this was against FAP who are experienced but when we face Espoir, we'll be giving in all to smile at the end of the game" he concluded.

FIBA