Al Ahly dominated the game from start to finish and took a 14-point advantage into the halftime break to keep the home crowd worried for the rest of the game.
For the second season in a row, REG were eliminated in the quarter-finals of the Basketball Africa League Playoffs on home soil.
The Rwandan side fell to Al Ahly 94-77 Saturday night to bow out of the competition in front of President Paul Kagame and a partisan crowd inside the BK Arena.
And head coach Dean Murray quickly pointed out that Al Ahly punished their mistakes to book a place in Wednesday’s semi-finals.
20:49 - 20.05.2023
BAL Al Ahly trounce REG to silence Kigali and march to Basketball Africa League semi-finals
Ehab Amin led Ahly with a team-high 22 points, while Nuni Omot and Corey Webster added 16 and 13 points, respectively.
“They made us work. They made us pay for our mistakes,” Murray said during the post-game press conference.
“I want to appreciate our fans for coming out and supporting us,” he added.
“Credit to Al Ahly.
“We had to be able to play an excellent game to beat Al Ahly. We were taking quick shots.”
Al Ahly dominated the game from start to finish and took a 14-point advantage into the halftime break to keep the home crowd worried for the rest of the game.
17:43 - 20.05.2023
BAL Stade Malien defeat Cape Town Tigers to book Basketball Africa League semi-final spot
The lead was further cut to four by the South African side midway through the fourth quarter, but Kelvin Amayo and Aliou Diarra gave Malien the much-needed offence down the stretch to win the game 78-69.
Any glimmer of hope that could have arisen from REG’s 12-1 run to start the third frame was quickly extinguished when the Egyptian giants regained their momentum to lead 80-57.
Forward Dieudonne Ndizeye believes the defeat will help the Rwandan giants reorganise themselves for future engagements.
“We have to learn from our mistakes,” he said after the loss.
Adonis Filer finished with a game-high of 26 points, while Cleveland Thomas Jr. and Axel Mpoyo added 15 apiece.
The three were the only REG players to score in double digits.
Ahly were led by Ehab Amin, who shot eight=for-12 from the field, including a three-for-four rhythm from behind the arc to finish with a team-high of 22 points.
Corey Webster added 13 points off the bench, while Nuni Omot got 16.
Al Ahly will take on Stade Malien in the Semi-Final on Wednesday, while REG’s campaign came to an early end.
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)