TUNIS (African Champions Cup) - Equatorial Guinea’s champions Malabo Kings caused the  biggest upset in the opening day of the 2014 edition of the African Champions Cup, in Tunis, Tunisia, on Thursday, by edging out Recreativo do Libolo 79-69 in Group A.

The Angolan champions struggled to adjust their perimeter defence throughout the game, and, unsurprisingly, trailed 43-36 at half-time.

The Guinean side, paced by Santiago Milan and Gordon Nguema, who finished with team-highs 18 points apiece, made 11 of their 24 three-pointer attempts, leaving the Angolans wondering how to restore their their title credentials.

The Kings outplayed Libolo with an effective offensive plan, which resulted in 18 assists with 8 of whom coming from playmaker Richard Nguema, who added 13 points to his personal account.

In a game that Angolan internationals Milton Barros and Eduardo Mingas combined for 32 points and Valdelicio Joaquim added 10 points off the bench for Libolo, it became clear how much damage the absences of injured Olimpio Cipriano and Carlos Morais had caused for Norberto Alves’ team.  

The Angolans trailed 66-50 heading to the final quarter, rallied to cut the deficit to 73-66 with two minutes remaining, but it was too late to comeback in the game as the Kings beat an Angolan side for the first time in the ACC history.

In Game A’s second game of the day, Club Africain, the team with most Tunisian internationals - including, Mohamed Ghyaza, Nizar Knioua, Bechir Hdidane, Mohamed Dhifallah, Youssef Mejri, Lassaad Chouaya, Mohamed Hadidane, Ziyed Chennoufi and Hichem Ez-Zahi - trounced ACC debutant BC Mayotte 126-45.

As a result of the largest winning-margin so far in the ACC, seven Club Africain players scored in double digits, while Swiss international Vladimir Buscaglia had team-high 18 points for the Mahoran team. 

In Group B opener, ACC reigning champions Primeiro D’Agosto - paced by Reggie Moore, the first USA-born athlete to be granted Angolan citizenship - beat Tunisian side Union Sportiv Monastir 75-62.

Moore finished with a team-best 18 points and six rebounds, while Firas Lahyani, also known as 'Air Tunisia' in 3X3 circles, poured in twelve points off the bench and Serbian Danilo Mitrovic contributed 15 points in the losing cause.

Later in the day, London Olympian Ejike Ugboaja came off the bench with a 18-point and 15 rebounds performance, sparking Nigerian side Mark Mentors Basketball Club past Abidjan Basketball Club 68-65 in the Group B’s second game of the day.

FIBA