DAKAR (Senegal)- Ferroviario de Maputo the 2024 Women's Basketball League Africa (WBLA) champions!
The Nasir Salé-coached Mozambique side who made a return to the African competition after missing out on the last year's competition in Egypt beat Al Ahly Sporting Club 81-72 to lift the title.
African 2019 Most Valuable Player (MVP) Ingvild Mucauro put up a man-of-the-match performance, despite fouling out in the crucial last two minutes of the match to lead the team to victory with an 18 points, seven rebounds and as many steals, adding four assists for a game-high 25 in efficiency.
TURNING POINT: The Mozambicans who led by 13 after the first half allowed the Egyptians a 23-19 second quarter to cut their deficit to eight. A 21-12 run that saw Mucauro score eight with the team adding four more steals to their first quarter eight had the Egyptians carry a 17-point burden to the last 10 minutes.
The Arena got divided right in the middle for the last stanza, Ndioma Kané getting half of her countrymen to go wild as she led Al Ahly SC in a 9-2 run for 72-61 before coach Salé got Carla Covane and Mucauro and back on the floor before the latter fouled out with about two minutes of play.
With victory in sight, nothing could stop Ferroviario as they held on for victory.
HERO: Silvia Veloso may have finished with a game-high 33 in efficiency after dropping 18 points, 11 rebounds to complete the only double-double for her side in the Final, adding five assists and as many steals but Mucauro deserves a mention for her numbers as does Carla Covane who scored 16 and was a rebound shy off a double-double.
STATS DON'T LIE: Al Ahly SC dominated most crucial numbers, the paint 48-32, 18-7 on second chance points, and 24-12 off the bench but were outdone 23-12 on fast breaks. The champions also shot 71.4% off the free-throw line, converting
BOTTOM LINE: After a third-place finish in their last appearance in 2022 on home soil, Ferroviario de Maputo came back to emerge winners, picking their third title in Africa.
THEY SAID: "We went through a lot before coming here and throughout the competition as we were thinking about everyone back home and everything that is happening. I am so proud of this team. It was a tough game but we remained focused. Coming from yesterday we took strength from nothing, we just wanted to win. This is for Ferroviario and Mozambique. Thank you for everyone that supported us," Ingvild Mucauro.
FIBA