Makhtar Gueye’s double-double and Abdoulaye Harouna’s clutch shooting powered ASC Ville de Dakar to a dramatic 65–64 upset over reigning BAL champions Petro de Luanda, marking their second win in the 2024 Sahara Conference at Dakar Arena
Last Updated on
April 30, 2025
Makhtar Gueye and Abdoulaye Harouna were unstoppable as Basketball Africa League (BAL) Sahara Conference debutants ASC Ville de Dakar stunned defending champions Petro de Luanda 65-64 for their second victory of the competition, at a packed Dakar Arena.
Gueye's double-double of 16 points and 11 rebounds for a game-high 26 in efficiency rating, coupled with Harouna's 15 points, nine from treys, gave Libasse Faye's charges the much-needed victory, shutting down a Petro side that is normally clinical offensively. This was the latter's first victory over the Angolans in the last four seasons, where he has featured in different outfits.
Patrick Gardner, a rebound shy of a double-double after top-scoring in the match with 19, will be gutted to have lost a match he could have won with a clutch three. His matchup on the paint with ASC's Ater Majok, who finished with 14 points, made for some exciting basketball.
"I don't know what to say. I am so happy for this win," said an elated Gueye at the end of the match. "It was a difficult game, but we battled to win. I came in needing to perform and help the team win, and I am happy to have delivered."
With little separating the two sides statistically, Faye's charges carried a fighting spirit that saw them outscore Petro 17-10 on second-chance points in a close game with the two sides separated by single point digits from the first whistle to the last. Luanda dominated the fast break points (15-6), and their bench did a better job (33-24), but it was not enough to pull them through.
Powered by former BAL champion Ater Majok and a thunderous fanbase that kept the music way above the whistles and commentators, the hosts raced to a 7-0 lead, but Childe Dundao and Gerson Domingos scored with an Aboubacar Gakuo trey levelling the score.
Halfway through the stanza, Makhtar Gueye was left unmarked, knocking down a trey that restored ASC's advantage (10-7). The match was tied again at 10, Dundao pulling a three that was replied to immediately by Majok for another tie.
Gueye and Patrick Gardner went for treys of their own, but Majok's clever play for a spectacular assist to Samba Dali Fall had the hosts leading 18-16 at the end of the quarter.
It was still a two-point game three minutes into the second quarter, the hosts having scored two baskets with the holders pulling one back for 20-18. Coming off the music interlude, Petrol de Luanda leveled from the charity stripe, Gardner combining well with two-time BAL winner Souleyman Diabate to pull away again for 27-22.
The five-point difference remained at 30-25, but Devine Eke's dunk and two on the free throw line made it a three-point game. Thierno Ibrahima Niang's Unsportsmanlike foul sent Gardner to the line, restoring the Petro's five-point advantage. The first half ended 37-33.
In the second half, Glofate Buiamba's 3-pointer got the action following the halftime break, Gerson Domingos adding one more to give the holders a nine-point advantage at 45-36.
Gueye's trey and Majok's magical end-to-end action that ended with an alley-oop brought the hosts to within three points of Sergio Valdeolmillos Moreno's charges. Bara Ndiaye levelled the score at 48 from behind the arc.
Libasse Faye's charges headed to the final quarter leading 52-50, and Harouna got the crowd at the Dakar Arena wild with back-to-back treys for 58-54. Petro fought back for 60-58, but Gueye, who had barely put a foot wrong from range, had none of it, as he brought the difference back to five at 63-58.
In the last three minutes of the match, the hosts lost Will Perry, who fouled out while a limping Majok was subbed off. While Gardner takes the credit for five quick points that drew the two side's level at 63 points, Diabate's steal got the run going.
The two sides were separated by a point (65-64) with 45 seconds on the clock. It was a dramatic finish that saw Diabate make two attempts from behind the arc, Mamadou Sakho getting to the end of both with massive rebounds.
With the opportunity to hold possession for just 17 seconds, the hosts made a massive error, failing to cross over the half line in 8 seconds, handing the chance to Petro to grab the match off their hands. Gardner's clutch attempt missed the target, with Yanick Moreira's put back too late to hand the defending champions victory.
[Photography Courtesy of The BAL]
