Game Report: Number 8 seed Cape Town stuns top seed FUS Rabat in an overtime thriller, 91-88. Samkelo Cele's 30 points and Nkosinathi Sibanyoni's 25 rebounds propel the South African club to the championship final four.
Last Updated on
May 28, 2024
Fanya Nkengasong
Staff Writer
Following their impressive victory over Al Ahly in the playoffs' classification round, FUS Rabat stepped onto the court to face the lower-seeded Cape Town Tigers in the quarterfinals.
After a slow start where they fell behind, FUS rallied to win the first quarter by two points (17-15). Both teams focused on inside play while waiting to adjust their outside shooting. The second quarter remained tight, marked by several ties.
The Cape Town Tigers took a three-point lead at halftime (44-41) and extended it to seven points. Coach Said Bouzidi's timeout for FUS proved effective, as they came back to lead by one point (50-49).
By the end of the third quarter, Cape Town was back in front, leading by four points (63-59). Despite only committing six turnovers, the Tigers faced a Moroccan bench contributing 25 points.
With six minutes left, the game took a dramatic turn when Deng, who had scored 12 points, exited due to injury. Surprisingly, this galvanised his teammates, who pushed ahead to a six-point lead (72-66). Cele's buzzer-beater tied the game at 83-83, forcing overtime.
The overtime period was intense, with neither team dominant. The Tigers' captain, Diarra, fouled out after scoring 15 points, but Cape Town still managed to secure a three-point victory (91-88).
.png)
