RADES (AfroBasket 2015) - Kenny Kadji's international debut with Cameroon couldn't have started any better as he stepped up to help his country beat Mali 70-56 in Wednesday’s second game of Group C at AfroBasket 2015 in Tunisia.
Kadji came off the bench and made five of his 10 shots from the floor, including three-of-seven from long range, en route to a game-high 17 points.
Turning Point: Cameroon's slow start lasted until late in the second quarter when Jeremy Nzeulie tied the game at 23-23. Then Gaston Essengue hit a mid-range jumper to give them a short-lived lead as Mali bounced back to closed the first-half leading 28-25.
Kadji came off the bench and made five of his 10 shots from the floor, including three-of-seven from long range, en route to a game-high 17 points.
Turning Point: Cameroon's slow start lasted until late in the second quarter when Jeremy Nzeulie tied the game at 23-23. Then Gaston Essengue hit a mid-range jumper to give them a short-lived lead as Mali bounced back to closed the first-half leading 28-25.
Nzeulie wasn't about to let Cameroon go down on the opening day of the tournament. His three-pointer in the third quarter edged his team into a 34-33 advantage and Kadji then scored six straight points as the Cameroonians went in front for good.
Stats Don't Lie: Mali's poor ball movement resulted in only eight assists and that was detrimental for them. Turning the ball over 19 times and making only 29 percent of their shots was even worse.
Game Hero: Nzeulie not only excelled offensively for Cameroon but disrupted Mali’s offense with his aggressive defense.
The Bottom Line: Unless Mali make a drastic improvement on offense, their chances in Group C are limited. That is especially true considering Egypt's impressive showing in their win over Gabon. While Cameroon's bench produced more than half of the team's 70 points, Mali's substitutes contributed only 16 points, 10 from Boubacar Sidibe. A lot of work ahead for Mali coach Sylvayn Lautie.
Stats Don't Lie: Mali's poor ball movement resulted in only eight assists and that was detrimental for them. Turning the ball over 19 times and making only 29 percent of their shots was even worse.
Game Hero: Nzeulie not only excelled offensively for Cameroon but disrupted Mali’s offense with his aggressive defense.
The Bottom Line: Unless Mali make a drastic improvement on offense, their chances in Group C are limited. That is especially true considering Egypt's impressive showing in their win over Gabon. While Cameroon's bench produced more than half of the team's 70 points, Mali's substitutes contributed only 16 points, 10 from Boubacar Sidibe. A lot of work ahead for Mali coach Sylvayn Lautie.
By: FIBA.com
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