For the second consecutive time, Alexandria Sporting Club (ASC) has secured the top spot in Africa, triumphing in the inaugural Africa Women’s Basketball League (AWBL) hosted on their home turf.
In the nine-day competition, featuring 10 teams vying for the revamped AWBL, ASC, the reigning Africa Champions Cup for Women champions, clinched their second consecutive African club title.
Their journey to victory included a final showdown against Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), a FIBA Africa Zone Five derby. This clash, a rematch of their Group A encounter in the final Group Phase, ended with ASC dominating 103-59, with KPA settling for silver in their first appearance in the Last Four of a continental competition.
The game kicked off with Natalie Mwangale and Victoria Reynolds giving KPA an early 5-0 lead. However, ASC quickly responded, with Fatou Diagne and Cierra Dillard narrowing the gap.
Despite Ojukwu’s KPA maintaining an 11-8 lead halfway through the quarter, Dillard’s efforts tied the score at 13 before ASC’s skipper, Hagar Amer, propelled her team into the lead with consecutive layups.
ASC capitalized on a costly turnover, establishing a six-point advantage and ending the first quarter with a 22-15 lead. The second quarter saw ASC extending their dominance, securing a 38-26 lead with Destiny Pitts contributing a crucial three-pointer.
By the halftime break, KPA found themselves trailing 58-32 as ASC exploited their opponent’s struggles with the host team’s transition play. Hagar and Dillard showcased their scoring prowess, combining for 35 points in the first half.
Although both teams displayed strength in the paint, KPA’s lackluster ball handling proved costly, resulting in 16 turnovers, 8 in each quarter. ASC capitalized on these mistakes, scoring 13 points off turnovers.
ASC continued their commanding performance in the second half, outscoring KPA 29-17 in the third quarter and maintaining control with a 16-10 performance in the final period. The 76-40 scoreline secured ASC’s second continental title, with Hagar leading the scoring for her team with 32 points, while Dillard added 17 points in the well-deserved victory.
