Petro beat defending champions Libolo to 2015 FIBA Africa Champions Cup crown, Quezada named MVP 

LUANDA (2015 FIBA Africa Champions Cup) - Petro Atletico de Luanda on Saturday beat title holders Recreativo do Libolo 89-75 in the Final of the 2015 FIBA Africa Champions Cup at Arena Kilamba on the outskirts of the Angolan capital Luanda and thereby ended a nine-year wait.

Paced by Dominicaan Emanuel Quezada, Petro led most of the way to win FIBA Africa's flagship club competition for the first time since 2006.

The side coached by Lazare Adingono were up 49-37 at halftime and despite Libolo - the winners of the 2014 edition - cutting the deficit to just four points midway through the fourth quarter, Petro did enough to ensure a new champion would be crowned on the day. 

Petro entered the ACC finals with a 4-2 record having conceded two defeats in the Group Phase. However they stepped on the floor for the title game with a sense of urgency and outplayed Libolo who got to the final undefeated in six games. It was Petro's second major title this year after beating Libolo in game-7 of the Angolan BIC Basket League in May.

As well as leading all players with game-highs of 32 points and 7 assists, Quezada was named the tournament Most Valuable Player. The Dominican, who is entering his third season in the Angolan BIC Basket League, scooped MVP honours for the second after being decisive in the Angolan League Finals early this year.

Angolan international Domingos Bonifacio hit three of his four three-pointers en route to 11 points, Reggie Moore added 25 and Petro de Luanda ended Libolo’s ACC 14-game winning streak dating back to 2013 when Norberto Alves team claimed the third-place in Sousse, Tunisia.

Olimpio Cipriano, Valdelicio Joaquim, Carlos Morais and Jonathan Wallace combined for 62 Libolo points, but the game belonged to Quezada and Co. 

Quezada headlined the All-Star Five and was joined by Angolan international Morais (Libolo), Cape Verde's Fidel Mendonca (Bairro), Angolan Leonel Paulo and Moroccan international Omar Laanani (AS FAR).  

In the Third-Place Game, AS FAR upset eight-time ACC winners Primeiro D'Agosto 72-62.

In Friday's fifth-place game Etoile Sportive du Rades held on for a 78-73 win over Egyptian side Gezira while Kano Pillars of Nigeria defeat Cape Verde champions Bairro 77-75 in the seventh-place game.

Final standings of the 2015 FIBA Africa Champions Cup:
1. Petro de Luanda (Angola)
2. Recreativo do Libolo (Angola)
3. AS FAR (Morocco)
4. Primeiro D’Agosto (Angola)
5. Etoile Sportive du Rades (Tunisia)
6. Gezira (Egypt)
7. Kano Pillars (Nigeria)
8. Bairro (Cape Verde)
9. Inter Clube (Republic Congo)
10. ASCUT (Madagascar)

Go to www.fibaafrica.com/luanda2015/men for complete coverage of the 2015 FIBA Africa Champions Cup.

FIBA