The team representing Rwanda in the Basketball Africa League, RSSB Tigers, defeated Egyptian giants Al Ahly with a 106-97 victory, securing their spot in the finals of the continent’s premier basketball tournament.
The semifinal matchup was a fierce battle of strength and skill, with both teams delivering a top-tier performance from the opening whistle to the final buzzer.
The intense competition was evident from the first quarter, which ended in a 24-24 tie. RSSB Tigers entered the court with renewed confidence following the return of one of their key players, Teefale Lenard Jr. The playmaker had suffered an injury during the opening game of the tournament, where RSSB Tigers defeated Morocco’s FUS Rabat. His return to the court provided a significant boost of energy and confidence for the Rwandan side.
The momentum remained contested in the second quarter as both sides continuously traded blows, heading into the halftime break locked in a tense 50-50 deadlock.
The game was also defined by a high-scoring duel between the two sides. On Al Ahly’s part, Lofton proved to be a major challenge for the RSSB Tigers defense, finishing as the game’s top scorer with an impressive 33 points.
On the other side, Leonard Craig Randall II stepped up to lead RSSB Tigers toward victory. After scoring 7 points in the first quarter, he exploded for 11 points in the second frame, finishing the night with a total of 30 points, which served as a major catalyst for the Rwandan team’s triumph.
Following this high-level performance to eliminate Egypt’s Al Ahly, RSSB Tigers now await the outcome of the second semifinal match between Angola’s Petro de Luanda and Libya’s Al Ahly Libya to find out who they will face in the historic championship game.
