D’Agosto through to FIBA Africa Champions Cup 2016
LUANDA (FIBA Africa Champions Cup 2016) - Primeiro D’Agosto on Sunday became the sixth African team to qualify for next month’s FIBA Africa Champions Cup (ACC) thanks to a 70-59 triumph over arch rivals Pe
LUANDA (FIBA Africa Champions Cup 2016) - Primeiro D’Agosto on Sunday became the sixth African team to qualify for next month’s FIBA Africa Champions Cup (ACC) thanks to a 70-59 triumph over arch rivals Petro de Luanda in the ACC Zone 6 qualifier held in the Angolan capital Luanda.
The most successful African club - winners of 8 ACC titles - were paced by Angolan international Armando Costa who finished with a team-best 12 points.
“Whether Quezada plays or not we are going to Cairo to win the tournament,” - Casas
After losing to Recreativo do Libolo on Saturday, D’Agosto had no alternative but beat the reigning ACC champions if they were to live up to their continental powerhouse credentials.
Petro de Luanda power forward Reggie Moore led all scorers with 15 points, but that wasn’t good enough send the ACC reigning champions through to Cairo, Egypt, where the best 12 African teams will compete for the continent crown from 7-16 December.
“It was a tough game, but I like what my players were capable of doing,” said D’Agosto head coach Ricard Casas.
“We still need to improve aspects of our game and we need to keep working hard and together.
“Whether Quezada plays or not we are going to Cairo to win the tournament.” the Spanish coach said.
Emmanuel Quezada, the ACC 2016 MVP, joined D’Agosto last week but is yet to be cleared.
Meanwhile, expectations among Petro de Luanda fans is that their team is awarded a wildcard invitation to be part of the Cairo showdown.
In the meantime, ACC 2016 qualifiers are expected to resume this week in Madagascar with three Zone 7 teams - ASCUT, GNBC (both from Madagascar), Unshindzi (Comoro) and Vautour Club (Mayotte) battling it out for one place.
From 20-29 November, Zone 1 teams AS Sale and Chabab RIF Al Hoceima (both from Morocco), Tunisian champions Club Africain, Groupement Sportif Petroliers (Algeria), and Libyan sides Al-Nasser and Alhali will be fighting in Hoceima, Morocco, for the two places on offer for the ACC 2016.
List of teams qualified for the African Champions Cup 2016 as of 6 November: Al Alhy (Egypt), City Oilers (Uganda), Kano Pillars, Customs (both from Nigeria), Primeiro D’Agosto and Recreativo do Libolo (both from Angola).
FIBA