08 February, 2019
26 May
32 Engelbert Beleck (REG), 18 Bozo Djumic (CFB)
08/02/2019
Review
to read

Top 5 Performances from Day 1 of the FIBA Africa Basketball League 2019

CAIRO (Egypt) - Hosts Al Ahly's defeat against Primeiro D'Agosto and a number of individual performances highlighted Day 1 action of Group C of the FIBA Africa Basketball League (ABL) 2019 in Cairo.

In no particular order, FIBA.basketball selected those who made Friday's FIBA ABL action worth watching.

Engelbert Beleck (REG)


If Cameroon national team coaching staff haven't yet heard of Engelbert Beleck, then the 20-year-old introduced himself in style making his name heard loud in the opening of Group C.

Beleck not only sparked REG at both ends of the floor, but he also inspired his team with an impressive game-high 25 points and 13 rebounds.

And his name will forever be associated with the newly-launched FIBA ABL after driving to the basket and score the first points in the competition history.

He also erupted as one of the few players to finish with a double-double in Friday's Group C action.

Helton Ubisse (Ferroviario da Beira)

The 24-year-old run up and down the floor, jumped, fought hard, but he ended-up a one-man show for the Mozambicans.

Ubisse counted with the support of Robinson Opong - who added 14 points in a 36 percent shooting - and made the most of Vuk Jovanovic's team-high six assists.

Eduardo Mingas (Primeiro D'Agosto) 

The man who led the Angolan champions in scoring and rebounding turned 40 last week, but he looked more like a twenty-something guy trying to earn his space in a talent-filled team.

Mingas did a bit of everything for his club, finishing with team-highs 18 points and 12 rebounds to join a group of three players who registered double-doubles in Friday's Group C opener.

The 1.99m (6ft6in) undersized center made  7 of his 11 shootings - including a three-pointer - dominated the paint against taller and heavier opponents to inspire the eight-time African champions to a 86-77 victory.

As they say, age is just a number for Mingas

Manny Quezada (Primeiro D'Agosto)

Emmanuel 'Manny' Quezada travelled to Cairo experiencing a foot injury, but when head coach Paulo Macedo called him off the bench, he hit three of five three-points attempts to finish with 9 points in 9 minutes. That was time enough to make his FIBA ABL debut.

Reggie Holmes (Al Ahly)

The American guard was almost everywhere trying to row against D'Agosto's tide.

And by the  final buzzer, he had contributed an impressive game-high 27 points while leading the Egyptian champions with 11 rebounds.

FIBA