Pedro de Luanda were crowned The BAL 2024 Champions.
Petro de Luanda have been crowned the 2024 BAL victors, following their mammoth 107-94 triumph against Libya’s Al Ahly in the final at BK Arena on Saturday.
The Angolan franchise had been striving to win the most coveted club’s title on the continent but fired a blank thrice, including an 83-72 loss to US Monastir in the 2022 final, before they racked up the feat.
“It means a lot for our country. We got to the final and lost, we got the third place, came back again, and got the fourth. A lot of people were saying that the Angolan basketball is done, we were just trying to get this one for the country. We’re not done yet, but we’re not satisfied, we have still got another year to come back here,” said Petro’s Yanick Moreira in a post-game press conference.
Despite their defeat, Al Ahly delivered a standout display during the competition and prevailed against all odds en route to the final, considering that this was their debut season in BAL.
“They were better tonight, they played a really good game and a good defense. Tonight a better team win,” Al Ahly head coach Ivan Jermic said.
The Angolan side came from behind to beat Libya’s Al Ahyl.
Petro de Luanda had the upper hand in the first quarter, closing it with a 26-24 lead, but they fumbled in the second quarter as Al Ahly battled back and headed to the halftime break with a 12-point advantage.
Lukeny Gonçalves sank back-to-back three-pointers to resuscitate the Angolan side and put them ahead in the third quarter, but the Lybian outfit wholly cut the narrow deficit by the end of the quarter as the two sides leveled 75-75.
Both teams were neck and neck throughout the final quarter nevertheless, and Petro de Luanda ultimately sealed the most sought-after victory.
Nicholas Faust was the Petro de Luanda leading scorer yet again as the American guard scored 24 points. Markeith Cummings and Gonçalves added 20 and 16 points, respectively.
Majok Deng had the most points for Al Ahly, snatching 24 points, while Robert Golden chipped in 21 points and eight assists. Souleyman Diabate added 20 points.
Al Ahly’s Jo-Lual Acuil, who was featuring in his first BAL season, was named the 2024 BAL MVP.
William Perry of Rivers Hoopers, who scooped the 2024 BAL bronze medal, won the BAL Sportsmanship Award.
