PRETORIA, South Africa -- Kriol Star overcame multiple defecits to claim a 91-88 win over FUS Rabat on Friday, to clinch the seventh seed at the Basketball Africa League (BAL) playoffs.
Joel Ntambwe (22 points, 6 rebounds, 1 steal), Jalan McCloud (21 points, 4 rebounds) and Ivan Almeida (18 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists, 2 steals) played crucial roles in a comeback win from 10 points down at one point in the third quarter.
Despite Yacine Baeri's 22 points in 19:51 for FUS and Mouhamadou Diagne's 10 points and 10 rebounds, the Moroccan side found themselves stunned in the late stages of the game.
Kriol Star headed into the game under difficult circumstances, with conflict within the team and between some players and management having led to the departures of Patrick McGlynn, Richaud Pack and Cameron Parker.
Complicating matters further, Anderson Correia was out for the first of his two-games suspended as a result of a bust-up with Parker at the team hotel in Dakar's Sahara conference.
Kriol Star turned to new signing Jalan McCloud to help plug the gap. FUS Rabat had the better start, but failed to make the most of their momentum as they went 7-19 from field goal shooting in the first quarter. McCloud and Joel Almeida made big shots, while Ntambwe, the brother of Golden State Warriors' Jonathan Kuminga, was a menace in the paint. Nevertheless, FUS led 20-19 at the end of the first quarter.
The second quarter was similar in nature - scrappy, but competitive. FUS spread the scoring across their deep roster, while Kriol Star relied on McCloud and Joel Almeida for scoring in that period with Ntambwe and Ivan Almeida making themselves felt in the paint. BAL Elevate big man Lewis Uvwo also became more influential for Kriol Star as the game wore on.
The lead changed hands back and forth throughout the second quarter. At half-time, there was still little to separate the teams as FUS led 42-41.
Mouhamadou Diagne complemented his superb work in the paint in the first half with four early points in the third quarter to help FUS keep the upper hand. Yacine Baeri also found his best shooting form. At one point, FUS were 60-50 ahead.
Ntambwe and Uvwo played key roles in keeping Kriol Star in the fight, while Ivan Almeida found some scoring form. Nonetheless, FUS led 68-62 heading into the final quarter.
McCloud picked up the scoring pace again at the start of the fourth quarter and soon, it was a one-point game again. Midway through the quarter, the scores were tied at 72-72. Then, a three-point jumpshot from McCloud put Kriol Star three points to the good and a layup from Keven Gomes made it 77-72. John Jordan fired back with a three for FUS.
The game opened up in the last few minutes, with shots flying in at one end and then the other. A crucial basket came with 44.2 seconds left on the clock as Ntambwe tipped the ball in to extend Kriol Star's lead to 88-84, but Baeri hit a three at the other end to make it 88-87.
Ultimately, Kriol Star were able to manage the ball well in the last few seconds and did enough to clinch the win. They will now face the loser in the late tip-off between Al Ittihad and Al Ahli Tripoli in the quarter-finals, while FUS will face the winner.
"Our trajectory in a short space of time has been nothing short of amazing, but we've got to stay hungry... It's in the spirit of Cape Verdeans. We're fighters," Almeida said.
"This is all that matters - the group sticking together and fighting until the end."
The BAL airs on ESPN's channels in Africa (DStv 218 and 219, Starsat 248) and on affiliate broadcasters.