DAKAR, Senegal -- Reigning Basketball Africa League champions Petro de Luanda suffered a second straight loss as they went down 65-64 to Sahara Conference hosts ASC Ville de Dakar (ASCVD) on Tuesday.
Spurred by the cheers and music of the fans who showed up to support them, ASCVD started brightly and led 7-0 before Petro fought back with Childe Dundão, Aboubacar Gakou and Yanick Moreira leading the charge. The lead swung back and forth before the first quarter closed with ASCVD leading 18-16.
Patrick Gardner led the charge for Petro as they went on a 12-4 run early in the second quarter, and they held the advantage to lead 37-33 at halftime.
The teams went more or less blow-for-blow in the early minutes of the third quarter.
Ater Majok energised the crowd midway through with a monstrous dunk before Petro's Aboubacar Gakou made a huge block on Makhtar Gueye moments later. E.J. Anosike landed two free throws for Petro but was powerless to stop another Majok dunk at the other end.
ASCVD drew level through a three from Bara Ndiaye, and went ahead through yet another Majok dunk against his former side. Petro drew level, but their backs were up against the wall, with the home crowd in full voice, and Abdoulaye Harouna landed another two to send ASCVD into the last quarter 52-50 ahead.
Petro once again drew level after the break only for Harouna to hit back-to-back threes as the volume inside Dakar Arena went up several decibels.
Gueye was superb at both ends, and Majok continued to have an impact in the paint, but ASCVD took their foot off the gas and allowed Petro back into the game. Gardner's three tied the teams at 63-63 with 1:44 to go.
Both teams had opportunities from the free-throw line, with Mamadou Djibril Sakho converting both of his for ASCVD and Glofate Buiamba getting one from two for Petro.
With 10.2 seconds left, Petro were awarded the ball and Buiamba went for the jump shot from the corner and missed. Gardner had another opportunity seconds later, also missing, and Moreira was too late to tap in the rebound. As a result, ASCVD got the win in front of their home fans.
Gueye was ASCVD's most productive player with 16 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and two steals. Gardner led the way for Petro with 19 points, nine rebounds and a steal.
Monastir and ASCVD each have two wins from three games, while Petro and Kriol Star have one apiece.
The teams all play each other a second time before the top two sides qualify for June's playoffs in Pretoria. The two best third-placed sides from three conferences will progress alongside them.
Petro head coach Sergio Valdeolmillos said: "We've got to win the next game and go game-by-game... the goal is to qualify and then if we qualify, we'll start over."
Gardner said: "There's no reason to worry at all. We showed a lot of fight today. We're halfway through. Coming up to this fourth game, we're going to work hard and practise for it. That's all we can do."