RABAT, Morocco - Egypt's Al Ittihad made a clear statement of intent in the late Saturday tip-off - the second game of the Basketball Africa League season - as they beat Kalahari Conference hosts FUS Rabat 71-60.
After Nigeria's Rivers Hoopers beat Mali's Stade Malien 81-60 in a scrappy opening game, the atmosphere was turned up several notches for the home team's clash with the tournament favourites.
Ittihad were missing Jo Lual-Acuil, who was last season's MVP while playing for Al Ahly Benghazi of Libya. With his season still ongoing with Manisa BBSK in the Turkish Süper Ligi, he is unable to join the team for now, but could be available for the playoffs in Pretoria.
Still, Ittihad held their own in front of a vocal partisan crowd, with the teams deadlocked at 21-21 at the end of the first quarter.
The teams continued to trade blows in the second quarter. A spectacular dunk from Abdelhakim Zouita got the crowd going and then an equally brilliant Deng Deng dunk, followed by a three, silenced them.
Momentum was with Ittihad and the Egyptian champions and they took a 37-28 lead into half-time.
Ittihad initially pulled away at the start of the third quarter, but FUS began to claw back towards the end, with John Jordan sinking a two-pointer with the final shot of the quarter. Heading into the final stretch, Ittihad led 55-46.
FUS tried to mount a fourth-quarter fightback, but Ittihad's depth was ultimately too much to counter. Both teams will likely be in the running for the BAL championship in Pretoria come June, but it was first blood to the favourites over the Kalahari Conference hosts.
Majok Deng had the most statistically impressive game with 18 points and 12 rebounds, but in the grander scheme, Ittihad's depth was key to their victory.
"I feel like this was a very winnable game. I look at the scores quarter by quarter. It was very competitive. We had a lull in the second quarter... That's just something we've got to work on and clean up... It's the little things," said FUS Rabat's Jordan, although he credited Ittihad for being a tough opponent..
FUS will be desperate to put their first win on the board when they face Nigeria's Rivers Hoopers. Only two teams in each group are guaranteed a spot in the playoffs in Pretoria. They will be joined by the two best third-placed teams across three conferences.
What looks almost certain now is that for teams competing in all of the BAL conferences this year, Al Ittihad are the team to beat.
READ: Everything you need to know about the BAL
The BAL airs on ESPN's channels in Africa.