Petro de Luanda emerge champions of the 2023 Nile Conference

In what was touted the biggest game of the 2023 Nile Conference between two African giants, it was the Angolan champions Petro de Luanda who had the last laugh. They defeated Al Ahly 91-90 to emerge champions of the Nile Conference of the 2023 Basketball Africa League.

The win rounded off their regular season with five wins out of five games to finish unbeaten in the Nile Conference.

Angolan legend, Carlos Morais was red hot in the first half scoring a game high 22 points to lead Petro to a six points-lead at the break (50-44).

He made 8-of-12 from the deep to finish with a game high 34 points which was one three-point shy of tying Ferroviario da Beira’s guard, Will Perry, for most three pointers scored in a single game at the BAL.

Childe Dundao added 13 points while Souleyman Diabate and Gerson Domingos both finished with 11 points apiece from the bench.

It was a game which showed how much fire power both teams have from the offensive end with both scoring 16 three-pointers each in the game but Al Ahly outweighed Petro from the bench 41-30.

At the start of the third quarter, Al Ahly made a 9-0 run to lead by 3 (53-50) which later resulted to different lead changes.

With 16 seconds remaining, Nuni Omot made a jumper to take Al Ahly to a one point lead 90-89 giving the home crowd a sign of victory but Lukeny Goncalves scored a buzzer beating shot from an offensive rebound after Morais’ miss from the arc. Goncalves ensured Petro finished the Nile Conference with an 100 percent record.

Omot led Al Ahly with a team-high of 25 points and Corey Webster came off the bench to score 22 points and six 3-pointers while Michael Thompson shot 13 points including 4 of 7 from beyond the arc.

Ahmed Ismail stepped up in place os Omar Oraby who was benched after he picked his second foul in the first quarter. Ismail had 8 for 11 shooting to finish with 17 points and 7 rebounds for the home team.

Al Ahly dropped to 3-1 mark and will finish second behind Petro de Luanda in the Nile Comference. They will however play their last game against SLAC on Saturday.