Alexandria Sporting Club (ASC), the Egyptian basketball powerhouse, has secured a spot in the Africa Women’s Basketball League (AWBL) Final, setting the stage for a chance to defend their back-to-back continental titles.
They claimed a decisive 100-74 victory against Angola’s Inter Clube in the second Semi-Final, earning the opportunity to face Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) in the inaugural AWBL Championship match.
This clash mirrored last year’s Semi-Final in the Africa Champions Cup for Women, where ASC emerged victorious with a scoreline of 100-82 on their way to clinching the title.
ASC’s coach, Mohamed Abdelrahman, acknowledged the challenge posed by Inter Clube, emphasizing the need for thorough preparation.
ASC took a slim 9-7 lead in the initial five minutes, with Destiny Pitts contributing from beyond the arc. The hosts extended their lead to 23-16 after adding 9 more points while limiting the Angolans to 5.
The second quarter saw a spirited effort from Inter Clube, narrowing the gap to 25-23, but ASC, led by Hagar Amer and Cierra Dillard, pulled ahead for a commanding 53-36 lead by halftime.
In the third quarter, ASC continued to dominate with a 29-17 advantage, making a comeback nearly impossible for Inter Clube.
Despite a competitive final period (21-18), ASC maintained control. Elisa Pires, Inter Clube’s coach, expressed disappointment in failing to achieve their desired result, citing challenges in stopping ASC’s three-point shooting and struggles in other aspects of the game.
ASC will now face KPA in the final, a rematch of their earlier Group A encounter where ASC secured a convincing 102-77 victory.
