A review of Sporting's unscathed campaign at 2023 AWBL
Over the course of nine days of stiff competition, ASC beat every single opponent they faced by an average of 43.8 points per game to finish the inaugural AWBL with a flawless 7-0 record.
ALEXANDRIA (Egypt) - The 2023 FIBA Africa Women's Basketball League (AWBL) came to an end with pomp and circumstance on Tuesday, December 19 with host Alexandria Sporting Club (ASC) clinching the title of the 10-team event.
Over the course of nine days of stiff competition, ASC beat every single opponent they faced by an average of 43.8 points per game to finish the inaugural AWBL with a flawless 7-0 record.
The Egyptian champions, who won the last edition of the Africa Champions Cup for Women (ACCW) in 2022 before it was rebranded as AWBL, scored 103 points per game while averaging tournament-highs 30 assists and 15 steals for the delight of home fans who showed up in big numbers for the Championship Game, which they prevailed 103-59 over Kenya Ports Authority (KPA).
Two of ASC's players were named to the All-Star team, including MVP Cierra Dillard and Hagar Amer.
On the other hand, KPA, a first-timer semifinalist at FIBA Africa competitions, finished second after an impressive 5-2 winning-loss ratio. The dockers lost twice to ASC.
In the battle for the last step of the podium, Inter Clube of Angola, Africa's most successful club who last won their fifth African title in 2016, beat Rwanda Energy Group (REG) 83-68.
It was the Angolan champions' first medal since finishing second at 2019 ACCW before COVID-19 pandemic halted the competition's calendar for two years.
ASC and REG won Groups A and B, respectively, advancing to the Quarter-Finals with a 4-0 record apiece.
Both teams continued their perfect winning runs into the knock-out stages although REG collapsed to KPA in the semis while ASC trounced Inter Clube 100-74 to extend their winning streak to 6-0 and set a Final date with the Kenyan champions.
Eight countries, namely Angola, Benin, Cameroon, DR Congo, Egypt, Nigeria, Kenya and Rwanda, were represented in the first edition of the AWBL. Cameroon and Kenya had two teams each.
Three teams - Overdose Up Station, ASPAC and Universite de Douala - made their maiden appearance at a continental competition, while Nigeria Customs returned to the a FIBA competition for the first time in 26 years.
Find below the 2023 FIBA Africa Women's Basketball League standings:
1. Alexandria Sporting Club (7-0) - Egypt
2. Kenya Ports Authority (5-2) - Kenya
3. Inter Clube (5-2) - Angola
4. Rwanda Energy Group (5-2) - Rwanda
5. Nigeria Customs (4-3) - Nigeria
6. Equity Bank Hawks (3-4) - Kenya
7. Universite de Douala (2-5) - Cameroon
8. Overdose Up Station (1-6) - Cameroon
9. CNSS (1-4) - DR Congo
10. ASPAC (0-5) - Benin
NOTE: Cameroon's Overdose Up Station forfeited their last game against Universite de Douala, and, as a result, was accessed a 20-0 loss.
FIBA