RADES (AfroBasket 2015) - Senegal opened their AfroBasket 2015 campaign with a 77-71 victory over Morocco on Thursday in Rades, Tunisia, but needed Gorgui Dieng at his very best.
The Minnesota Timberwolves center, who had just five points in the first half, dug into his repertoire late on to rescue Senegal with a team-high 26 points.
Dieng, who recorded a tournament-high 15 rebounds, got help from Antoine Mendy and Maleye Ndoye who added 17 points apiece in the wining cause.
The Minnesota Timberwolves center, who had just five points in the first half, dug into his repertoire late on to rescue Senegal with a team-high 26 points.
Dieng, who recorded a tournament-high 15 rebounds, got help from Antoine Mendy and Maleye Ndoye who added 17 points apiece in the wining cause.
Forward Abdelhakim Zouita led all scorers with 27 points, but his 40 minutes on floor turned out to be fruitless for Morocco.
Although veteran point guard Mustapha Khalfi added Soufiane Kourodu added 12 crucial points apiece, Morocco were unable to stop Dieng’s dominance in the painted area.
Turning Point: Ndoye's three-pointer with 3:49 left to play gave Senegal a 69-61 lead and looked to seal the deal. Morocco however did not seem affected and cut the deficit to just three points with a minute to go but the Senegalese held on.
Stats Don't Lie: The contest was tied at 34-34 at half-time. Six lead changes indicate how competitive the game was.
Game Hero: After a quiet first half, Dieng stepped up when Senegal needed him most, and he delivered.
The Bottom Line: Starting the tournament with a win was a must for Senegal. However they got a glimpse of how hard their goal of winning the tournament - and qualifying directly for the 2016 Olympics - will be to achieve. Morocco fought throughout, but making unnecessary mistakes in critical moments of the game will serve as a lesson for coach Toni Vujanic’s team. It was clearly the most competitive game of the tournament so far.
Although veteran point guard Mustapha Khalfi added Soufiane Kourodu added 12 crucial points apiece, Morocco were unable to stop Dieng’s dominance in the painted area.
Turning Point: Ndoye's three-pointer with 3:49 left to play gave Senegal a 69-61 lead and looked to seal the deal. Morocco however did not seem affected and cut the deficit to just three points with a minute to go but the Senegalese held on.
Stats Don't Lie: The contest was tied at 34-34 at half-time. Six lead changes indicate how competitive the game was.
Game Hero: After a quiet first half, Dieng stepped up when Senegal needed him most, and he delivered.
The Bottom Line: Starting the tournament with a win was a must for Senegal. However they got a glimpse of how hard their goal of winning the tournament - and qualifying directly for the 2016 Olympics - will be to achieve. Morocco fought throughout, but making unnecessary mistakes in critical moments of the game will serve as a lesson for coach Toni Vujanic’s team. It was clearly the most competitive game of the tournament so far.
By: FIBA.com
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