NAIROBI (Kenya) – Despite a rotation of only nine players, including six on the field on the day, Cape Verde’s Kriol Star made history by beating favorite Urunani 90-82 to qualify for the 2025 Basketball Africa League (BAL) season.
The team made its debut in the Road to BAL and qualified for the Elite 16 of the Eastern Division thanks to a wild card, after losing its two matches in the group stage which took place in Libya in last October.
Landry Ndikumana got the ball rolling for the Burundians with two quick baskets to lead 4-0 before Joel Almeida opened the scoring for Kriol Star.
Urunani led 12-7 halfway through the first quarter, but Dieudonne Ndayisaba Ndizeye and Patrick McGlynn brought the islanders back to level (12) with two minutes remaining.
Three costly errors for Kriol put Urunani up 18-12 at the end of the first period.
Urunani’s biggest lead thus far came in the first two minutes of the game, with Mohamed Doumbya and Ndikumana making it 23-13.
Hugo Da Silva’s men reduced the gap to six points (26-19), then to 29-24, but the opponent broke away again to bring the difference to double figures (35-24), as the half ended with a score of 37-28.
Kriol Star qualified for the BAL on their first attempt.
Kriol Star qualified for the BAL on their first attempt.
Kriol Star qualified for the BAL on their first attempt.
Kriol Star qualified for the BAL on their first attempt.
Kriol Star qualified for the BAL on their first attempt.
THE TURNING POINT OF THE MATCH: Six three-point baskets in the first four minutes of the third quarter for Kriol, four for McGlynn and one for Ndizeye and Almeida allowed the Cape Verdeans to take the advantage 39-38, then 50-42 in the middle of the second half. Urunani then got going, Jean-Jacques Boissy scoring seven baskets to allow the East Africans to equalize at 55.
Urunani led 68-63 but Kriol came back to equalize and lead 78-70, before Boissy shot from distance to bring his team back to four points, but their comeback was never possible and they lost.
HEROES: Patrick McGlynn led the charge for the Islanders, with 35 points, the second highest score in this year’s Road to BAL. He made 7 of 12 shots to save Kriol in the second half, as the Cape Verdeans made it 32-20 in the third quarter.
THE NUMBERS DON’T LIE: Kriol’s record of 15 shots on Road to BAL is the most important in the statistics of this meeting.
Sure, Urunani shot 9 of 29, but that wasn’t enough to stop McGlynn and his troops.
CONCLUSION : Hugo Da Silva Salgado’s men make history by becoming the first team from the island nation to reach the BAL, following an incredible run that saw them earn a wild card and lose the first match of the phase of groups.
For its part, Urunani, despite a perfect run in the group stage, lost the most important match of the campaign and once again missed the BAL.
Patrick McGlynn
Patrick McGlynn
Patrick McGlynn
Patrick McGlynn
Patrick McGlynn
THEY SAID: “Everyone was talking about our semi-final victory before we even played. I asked my players to remain modest, but that wasn’t the case and we lost.” Mamadou Pabi Gueye, principal entrant of Urunani.
“We started well, got ahead, but they came back and attacked well in the second half. We managed to make a few counterattacks, but our defense struggled to adapt in the second half “We stayed in zone defense too long and by the time we adjusted, they gained momentum and a lead.” Nkosinathi Sandile Sibanyoni, ailier d’Urunani.
“This is a historic event for us, Kriol Star, and for our country. Preparing this team has been a real obstacle course, but we had a goal when we arrived here and we are happy to have achieved it.” Hugo Salgado, the head coach of Kriol Star.
FIBA
