Sporting charge for AWBL title continues
2023 Africa Women's Basketball League (AWBL) hosts Alexandria Sporting Club (ASC) continued their unbeaten run in the campaign for the title with a 105-55 win against Overdose Up Station.
ALEXANDRIA (Egypt) - 2023 Africa Women's Basketball League (AWBL) hosts Alexandria Sporting Club (ASC) continued their unbeaten run in the campaign for the title with a 105-55 win against Overdose Up Station.
The five-time Cameroon champions had nothing on Mohamed Abdelrahman who reached a century in points for the third time in the 10-team championship.
ASC's bench contributed 56 of the final points as the side dominated the paint 64-36 in the match that saw skipper Hagar Amer emerge top scorer with a double-double of 16 points and 13 rebounds.
"I have a good team of 12 players who can play at almost the same level and the plan, all along, has been to make sure that they all get to play," the tactician offered in his post-match presser.
A first quarter 13-point lead at 28-15 was statement enough that the home side meant business as they dominated the paint for 18 of the 28, six more coming from Hagar Amer and Destiny Pitts' treys as the duo led the scores with 7 apiece.
Five more three-point shots in the second quarter, two from Norhan Ahmed who came off the bench destroyed any hopes the Roger Dassi-led Cameroonians had for a comeback as ASC went 33-15 to take a 29-point advantage to the halftime break at 61-30.
Coach Abdelrahman's rotation kept each of his 12 players on the floor for under 20 minutes at the conclusion of the third quarter which saw the bench players get more minutes as the side dominated for 25-11 to lead 86-41 going into the final period.
With a comfortable 45-point lead, ASC took their foot off the pedal going for a 19-14 win in the final quarter for the massive victory that propels them to the semis.
As ASC turned their focus on the semis where they play the winner between Inter Clube of Angola and Nigeria's Customs, Overdose are relegated to the Fifth-Place classification matches.
The Egyptians, who won the last edition of the Africa Women's Champions Cup in 2022, and are looking to win what would be their second continental title, on home soil, have enlisted the services of three Senegalese internationals with coach Abdelrahman confident they will help them clinch the title.
The three include Fatou Diagne, Yacine Diop and American-born Cierra Dillard. All three were part of the silver medal-winning squad at this year's Women's AfroBasket.
"We have been using them just like we are the regulars for now and their numbers are impressive. As the competition advances they might be called upon more but I am confident they can deliver. They have managed to settle well and have been playing our system of basketball just like all the others who have been here longer and we expect the same to continue," the coach added.
FIBA