NAIROBI (Kenya) – Patrick McGlynn and Dieudonne Ndayisaba Ndizeye were the top scorers of the Cape Verdean team Kriol Star, with 21 and 17 points, which allowed the team coached by Hugo Miguel Da Silva Salgado to achieve its first victory in Road to BAL against the Bravehearts, with a score of 89-58.
The islanders, who received a wild card to participate in the Elite 16 of the Eastern Division, were a cut above their Malawian opponents in the first half, with the second half being just as closely contested.
Kenneti Mendes scored the East Division’s first basket, setting the stage for a dominant first-quarter performance that saw the Islanders lead 14-03 in the first four minutes thanks to shots from McGlynn and Ndayisaba Ndizeye.
They then increased their lead to 21-8 thanks to perfect execution of the pick and roll and efficient three-point shooting that allowed them to finish with six shots, including four from McGlynn, for a first quarter of 32 -12. Kriol increased their lead to 44-14 in the first half of the second quarter, their defense limiting Griffin Kalua’s charges to just one basket and nothing changed at halftime, with the Bravehearts trailing 51-20 .
The damage was too great for the Bravehearts to recover in the second half, despite leading 18-15 in the third quarter and trailing 23-20 in the final quarter.
“It was a very good game for us. We were effective in defense, especially in the first half to get the win, which was very important to set the tone and get us in the right frame of mind. However, we have to stay focused for 40 minutes. We take things as we go to achieve our goal,” said captain Joel Almeida after the victory.
His coach, Hugo, echoed his sentiments, emphasizing the importance of such a start, especially with a team that was quickly assembled after receiving its wild card.
“We got off to a good start and maintained the intensity, especially in the first half. We tried to organize the game, find the best shot chances and we were solid defensively. We gave away a few baskets easy and it’s something we will correct before the next match,” coach Hugo told FIBA.basketball.
For his part, Bravehearts captain Madalitso Kadiwa attributed the defeat to his lack of efficiency in the second quarter.
“We knew the competition would be tough and we expected a victory in this match, but we blew it in the first half. Our defense was our main weakness at that moment. We also weren’t very good effective offensively in the second quarter and we hope to rally for the next game,” he said.
The Bravehearts will look to make amends on Friday against South African neighbors MBB Blue Soldiers, while the Kriol will look to secure a second win when they take on the hosts, Nairobi City Thunder.
FIBA
