Harouna Amadou Abdoulaye was the standout player for AS Douanes, scoring 16 points and leading the Senegalese team to a 63-57 victory over Rivers Hoopers in the Basketball Africa League playoffs classification game at the BK Arena in Kigali.
The Nigerian side struggled in the first quarter, being outscored 22-9. Although the second quarter was closely contested, AS Douanes maintained their momentum, outscoring Hoopers 15-14 and taking a 14-point lead into halftime (37-23).
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In a low-scoring third quarter, AS Douanes outperformed Hoopers 13-5, further extending their lead. Despite a valiant effort from Hoopers in the fourth quarter, winning 29-13, it was too little, too late, as they ultimately lost by six points.
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Hoopers will face familiar foes US Monastir in the quarter-finals of the BAL on Monday. The Tunisians, reigning 2022 champions, will enter the game with confidence after their 70-67 win over Atlético Petróleos de Luanda earlier in the day.
David Eke, a teenager, finished with a team-high 11 points off the bench, while Peter Olisemeka secured a game-high 12 rebounds and added three points.
The Kingsmen have significant work to do ahead of their quarter-final game against US Monastir on Monday. The team committed 22 turnovers, leading to 22 points for the opponent, while AS Douanes only gave up 10 turnovers. Hoopers also allowed 15 steals, highlighting areas for improvement.
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