A dramatic breakdown of Fireball’s historic 93-point loss to ASC Ville de Dakar in Praia, capturing the domination, record-setting performance, and rising ambitions of Dakar as they march toward the WBLA Finals in Cairo with unwavering confidence and precision.
Last Updated on
November 16, 2025
In the world of basketball, defeats can sting, but then there are losses so overwhelming they feel like standing too close to a blowtorch. Such was the fate of Guinea-based club, Fireball, who suffered a seismic collapse against ASC Ville de Dakar, falling 124–31 in a historic showdown at the WBLA regional qualifier in Praia. The result didn’t just tilt the scoreboard; it rewrote it, setting a new benchmark for dominance during the 2025 qualifiers.
Coming into the game, Fireball were already limping. Eligibility complications shrank their roster to a mere six players, a thin rotation in any context, but a particularly cruel disadvantage in a high-intensity qualifier. ASC Ville de Dakar, sensing vulnerability, didn’t hesitate. From tip-off, they applied pressure with the precision of a team with bigger ambitions than simply reaching Cairo.
The opening quarter established the rhythm: Dakar disciplined, relentless, and hungry. Fireball, short-handed and outpaced, was forced into survival mode. But the actual breaking point came in the second quarter, a period that will linger in WBLA memory for all the wrong reasons. A staggering 40–2 run by ASC Ville de Dakar did more than widen the gap; it turned the contest into a masterclass in execution versus exhaustion. For Fireball, every possession became a mountain; for Dakar, every transition felt like a gust of wind pushing them downhill.
This commanding performance was not carried by a single star but by a constellation of contributors, proof of the team’s depth and discipline. Diouma Berthe led all scorers with 23 points, slicing through the Fireball defence with ease and confidence. Behind her, four teammates finished with 14 points or more, a testament to a team system designed to share, rotate, and capitalise on mismatches. It was basketball chemistry at its most fluid.
Fireball, despite the avalanche, found pockets of resilience. Adja Diallo, who joined the team on Sunday, mustered 10 points, fighting through fatigue and defensive traps to give her side brief glimmers of offence. Still, the uphill battle was unrelenting, and Dakar’s defensive schemes left few openings for sustained momentum.
But the story of the day was not merely the defeat—it was the statement it allowed ASC Ville de Dakar to broadcast across the region. Their 93-point win, eclipsing the previous record margin of 58 set by Kenya Ports Authority, underscored a team not content with qualifying, but intent on conquering.
Among Dakar’s ensemble, Ndeye Wathie, a familiar face from their 2024 WBLA campaign, embodied the team’s grounded mindset. Scoring seven points, she remained focused on what lies ahead rather than basking in the enormity of the victory.
“We still have details to improve,” she said, reflecting a mentality that separates contenders from champions. The path ahead leads to the Finals in Cairo, and Wathie made it clear: domination in Praia is only the beginning.
In the end, Fireball’s defeat was not just a loss—it was a reminder of the harsh arithmetic of elite basketball. Dakar multiplied their strengths; Fireball, depleted and overwhelmed, could only subtract. And as the sun set on Praia, it was clear who controlled the heat.
[Photography Courtesy of FIBA/WBLA]
