Luanda - With Saturday's 73-60 win over Forces Armées of Cameroon at the Hassan Mustafa Hall Pavilion, Petro de Luanda secured their ticket, for the second consecutive time, to the final phase of the African Basketball League, to be played next May in Rwanda.
After the third position obtained in the first edition of this league format, in 2021, in Kigali, the Tricolores are candidates, once again, to win the title held by Zamalek of Egypt, in a competition to be played in play-off by eight teams.
In the current event, which ends on Tuesday, 19, in the Egyptian city of Cairo, the team led by José Neto have seven points and take the second position in the standings, which could increase to nine if they win their last game.
On Monday, 18th (today, Sunday, there is a break), the undefeated leader of the National Championship will face BC Spoir Fukash from DRC, who are currently in the last position with three points, due to the same number of defeats.
Even if Petro lose this final clash, mathematically they would be among the quartet qualified by the following: South Sudan's Cobra Sport Club has five points and can also raise it to seven, but if that occurs, the Angolan side would take advantage in the clash between them because they won by 92-56.
By the present position in the standings, it is also already qualified the Zamalek of Egypt. Leader of this Nile conference, with 8 points, can raise to 10 if they beat Cameroon Armed Forces on Monday, starting at 23h00.
Apart from Petro and Zamalek, the fight to fill the other two spots for the final round of the League is close, with the main contenders being South Africa's Cape Town, with six points and one match to play (can total 8pts) and Cameroon's Forças Armées, with four points and two matches to play (can also total 8pts).
They are followed by South Sudan's Cobra Sport Club, with five pts and one game in hand (they could total seven, the same as Petro, but in debt in their game against each other).
BC Fukash from DRC, who have three points from an equal number of defeats, can only reach six, and are definitely out of the four teams that can guarantee a ticket.
It should be recalled, already qualified for Rwanda in May are Energy Group (Rwanda), US Monastir (Tunisia), AS Sale (Morocco) and SLAC (Guinea), teams that contested the Sahara Conference in March.
Schedule for the seventh and eighth day of the competition
DAY 18, MONDAY
Petro de Luanda- BC Spoir Fukash, 19h30
Cobra Sport Club-Forces Armées, 23.00
DAY 19, TUESDAY
BC Spoir Fukash-Cape Town, 19h30
Zamalek-Forces Armées, 23.00
