DAKAR (Senegal) – For the second time in a row, ASC Ville de Dakar, host of the Women’s Basketball League Africa (WBLA) 2024, lost a crucial match at the very last minute, losing to the Rwanda’s APR 96-94 in the clash for third place.
APR, led by the trio Italee Lucas, Kierstan Bell and Shaina Pellington, squandered a 16-point lead to put themselves under pressure, eventually winning at the end of overtime.
Former African champion Italee proved crucial for the team, with 30 points and an 80% performance in the paint, which is not characteristic of the tri-pointer, who finished with five shots from distance.
THE TURNING POINT OF THE MATCH: APR led 23-11 in the first quarter but the hosts managed to equalize at 37 after the locker room and the second half was a game of comebacks, with Charles Mushumba’s APR chasing the score this time . Pellington and Diakite ensured their team made it into overtime, as the team’s stars were knocked offside.
L’HEROINE : Lucas, who played most of the second half with four fouls, managed to stay out of trouble, hitting three of his five shots in the final period to bring the APR back to level with his opponent and him give it a chance to get out of it. She contributed to Pellington’s final basket with 12 seconds left, which allowed Mushumba’s players to hold on until the end.
The Canadian Olympian, Pellington and Diakite made all the difference for the APR, scoring 6 and 5 each in the five extra minutes while helping make crucial saves for the victory.
THE NUMBERS DON’T LIE: The ASCVD bench was dominated 45-3 and the team was also better in the paint (64-30), but allowing APR to shoot 11 of 27 behind the arc was the main defeat for the local team. The Rwandans also made the most of their opportunities on the line, converting 23 out of 30, while the hosts missed 10 (9/19).
CONCLUSION : For its debut on the African scene in 2022, the APR finished with a record of 0-6. They then missed the competition last year, but brought back a better team for the 2024 edition and settled for the bronze medal. ASCVD, meanwhile, missed out on what could have been their historic title, losing the semifinals by one point and a podium spot by two points.
THEY SAID: “It’s a proud moment for us, as we are the first Rwandan women’s team to reach the podium in an African competition. My players showed composure under pressure and fought until the end to get this bronze medal. We are grateful to have had the opportunity to play here and prove ourselves.” Charles Mushumba, APR coach.
“We all learned a lot from this tournament and we had to play together to get this result. Towards the end we had a momentum that carried us through, because they are a good team, difficult to play against. Overall, it was a great experience to be in Dakar and win this medal.” Shaina Pellington, APR point guard.
“Congratulations to APR for this victory. We did not have the best start. We were completely lethargic in the first quarter of an hour and we did not understand what was at stake. We lacked concentration and we gave APR the opportunity to build momentum at the end for this win.” Moustapha Gaye, head coach of ASCVD.
FIBA
