DAKAR (Senegal) - Groups A and B completed their matches on Tuesday with the 2024 Women's Basketball League Africa (WBLA) automatic Quarter Finalists decided. Al Ahly Sporting Club finished with a perfect run with ASC Ville de Dakar settling for second in group A while Friend's Basketball Association (FBA) topped Group B as APR stunned defending champions Alexandria Sporting Club to proceed.
We take a look at some of the top performers of the day here:
Kierstan Bell
The two-time WNBA champion finally lived up to expectations, shooting 5-of-9 from range in a 27-point rout of defending champions Alexandria Sporting Club.
She led APR in efficiency with a 31 rating, playing just under 38 minutes as the Rwandese went on to pick a 74-72 victory to advance. The Las Vegas Aces forward came two rebounds shy of a double-double while providing four assists, two steals and a block.
Ndioma Kané
Up against her countrymen ASC Ville de Dakar, the 25-year-old Senegalese international led Egyptians Al Ahly SC to a 61-46 win, finishing with a game-high 27 in efficiency after a 19-points and 14-rebounds double-double.
She completed her numbers with two blocks in 28.18 minutes. The victory sees Al Ahly SC finish as the only unbeaten side so far with Mozambique's Ferroviario de Maputo in Group C that competes on Wednesday the only other side with that possibility.
Djelika Tounkara
The Malian point guard played for 22:43 minutes as Cote d'Ivoire's Friend's Basketball Association (FBA) picked a convincing (65-43) win over Congo DR's CNSS. She finished with a team-high of 12 points. Tounkara added seven assists, five steals and two rebounds for 16 in efficiency and was one of only two players (Saran Berthé) from the Lémou Benga-coached side to hit double digits on points.
Hala Elshaarawy
The Egyptian forward who has averaged 15.7 points and 14 rebounds was Amr Elmaraghy-coached Alexandria Sporting Club's (ASC) best player in their defeat to APR (74-72). She posted her second double-double of the competition, bagging 19 points, 15 rebounds and a block to finish with a team-high 25 in efficiency rating. Her performance, however, was overshadowed by the defending champions' loss that saw them finish last in a group headlined by debutants Friend's Basketball Association (FBA).
Ionna McKenzie
In 29 minutes, the American forward dropped 16 points, completing her double-double with 11 rebounds as Cameroon's FAP picked their first win (62-60) against Nigerians MFM Queens. In a match that saw the Nigerians come from 15 points down to lose by just two, her numbers went a long way to help the Ange Majolie-led side to victory.
FIBA