Jeunesse Club d’Abidjan dominated Elan Coton 69–39 in Road to BAL Group B, powered by Ulrich Mohamed Kra’s 13 points and strong performances from Mike Stephen and Babatunde Williams, as the Ivorian hosts cruised to their second straight home victory.
Last Updated on
October 18, 2025
Division West hosts Jeunesse Club d'Abidjan, registered their second straight Group B win, shaking off the poor and embarrassing challenges that Elan Coton brought to the game. The Ivorian club walked away with a 69-39 victory against the side from the Benin Republic.
Ulrich Mohamed Kra posted a game-high 13 points and collected four rebounds in the one-sided affair that was played at the Palais Des Sport, Treichville, Abidjan, the home of AfroBasket Women 2025.
He was assisted by teammates Mike Stephen and Babatunde Williams; Stephen, with an efficiency rating of 19, posted 12 points and picked up eight rebounds, while Williams scored seven points and picked up a massive ten rebounds to guide the team to another win.
It was clear from the outset that JCA wanted to close out this game quickly, which is why they dominated the opening quarter. Their squad, which boasts several BAL-experienced players, lived up to the hype. Jean Nguepy led Elan Coton with just ten points but grabbed a solid nine rebounds and blocked a shot.
Jeunesse Club d'Abidjan got the game off to a flying start with Maxi Shamba dropping his first shot behind the arc to set the ball rolling. Brian Bridgeworth then increased the tally with a layup as the home side went on a 14-0 run before the Coton side called for a timeout with 5:26 on the clock in the opening quarter.
Upon resumption from the timeout, the onslaught didn't stop as the scoring run was extended to 17-0 with the Benin side finally getting their first two points of the game from Haky Adamou with less than four minutes left on the clock. Coulibaly closed out the dominant opening quarter with a buzzer-beater from behind the arc to extend the lead by 18 points as the quarter finished at 24-6.
Both teams struggled to take advantage of their opportunities at the rim, scoring 13 and 8 points, respectively, to go into the break at 37-14.
Second-half action featured a more compact, tactical matchup from both clubs, with the bench making significant contributions. Both sides were somewhat inseparable, posting 12 points apiece as the game approached its penultimate quarter. However, the home team's early dominance ensured they still maintained a 23-point lead heading into the final quarter.
The final quarter almost produced a repeat of the opening quarter, as JCA became more comfortable, completing fast-break and half-court actions to register 20 points. At the same time, Coton improved the number of points in a quarter to 13, their highest in a quarter throughout the game.
JCA's conversion rate proved superior to Elan Coton's as the home team went 21-of-39 from the two-point range, against 7-of-43, while also converting 15-of-23 free throws, against 10-of-18. JCA also dominated the paint, 40-14, and converted their 19 offensive rebounds into 12 second-chance points, even as they went 38-3 on fast breaks. Coton managed to get 11 points off turnovers in the game, while JCA scored 16 points off turnovers in the blowout.
[Photography Courtesy of FIBA/Road to BAL]
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