In a breathtaking encounter that has rewritten the history of South African basketball, the Cape Town Tigers pulled off the biggest upset of the 2024 Basketball Africa League (BAL) season by defeating top-seeded FUS Rabat 91-88 in overtime on Sunday night at BK Arena in Kigali.
The eighth-seeded Tigers entered the quarterfinal matchup as clear underdogs, but their electrifying victory over the Moroccan champions has catapulted them into the BAL Semifinals for the first time after three previous attempts.
The Tigers’ triumph marks a monumental achievement for South African basketball, igniting celebrations among their fans.
The game was a rollercoaster of emotions, with the Tigers initially leading by ten points (80-70) late in the fourth quarter. However, FUS Rabat mounted a fierce comeback, taking a three-point lead (83-80) with just two seconds remaining.
Refusing to bow out, Samkelo Cele beat the buzzer to send the game into overtime, much to the delight of the crowd.
Despite the challenges of having Cartier Diarra, Ngor Manyang, and Abdoulaye Ndoye each facing four fouls by the end of the fourth quarter, the Tigers maintained their composure. Their resilience paid off as they secured a place in the 2024 BAL Semifinals.
Tigers guard Dhieu Deng, who contributed 13 points, had a scare when he collided with an opponent and required medical assistance with 6:54 minutes left in regulation. The game was paused for approximately ten minutes as Deng was stretchered off by the medical team.
Cele emerged as the standout performer, finishing with a game-high 30 points. Cartier Diarra added 15 points, while Ngor Manyang chipped in with 13 points off the bench.
Tigers center Nkosinathi Sibanyoni not only scored 16 points but also set a BAL rebounding record with 25 boards, calling the victory a historic moment for the team and South African basketball.
“This win is history for us as South Africans. This win is history for us as Cape Town Tigers because for two seasons we never made it to the Semifinals. This win means a lot to us, really,” Sibanyoni said.
Reflecting on their previous losses to FUS Rabat, he added, “They beat us twice because they out-rebounded us. This time around, we had to get more rebounds and score the ball.”
On the other side, Aliou Diarra’s impressive performance for FUS Rabat, recording his fourth double-double of the season with 18 points and 16 rebounds, wasn’t enough to save the Moroccan champions’ season.
Teenager Mohamed Sylla, a product of the BAL Elevate Program, made a significant impact with 15 points and 11 rebounds. However, Jonathan Jordan’s subpar performance proved costly.
FUS Rabat guard Soufiane Benmhine, who scored 10 points off the bench, expressed his disappointment:
“It’s a tough loss because we believe that we are one of the best teams in the league. We are very disappointed to be out at this stage of the competition. But it’s ok, we win together, and we lose together. We have to move on because we have the Moroccan Championship to fight for.”
Next, the Cape Town Tigers will face Al Ahly Ly in the Semifinals, while FUS Rabat returns home with a 4-2 record, their BAL title dreams shattered by the determined South African underdogs.
Source: BAL
