PRAIA (Cote d'Ivoire) - Kriol Star had longed to play their first-ever international game on home soil since their inception almost a decade ago, but things didn't go according to plan.
Led by Angolan Teotonio Dò and Senegalese Bamba Diallo, Centre de Référence de Basketball de Tombouctou (CRBT) came up with a combination of clinical shots that gave the Malian champions a narrow 94–92 win over Kriol Star in front of a relatively packed crowd at the Vava Duarte Gymnasium in Praia.
Having reached the Basketball Africa League (BAL) Playoffs last season, Kriol Star are committed to returning in 2026.
Although they showed some combative spirit, they learned the painful lesson that fighting for every possession, regardless of the team's momentum, matters in key moments of the game.
TURNING POINT: On two occasions, Kriol Star found themselves trailing by 18 and 17 points respectively, but they somehow managed to stay in the game until the final two possessions.
Midway through the third quarter, Keneti Mendes's three-point play gave Kriol Star their only lead (55–54), but the Malian side never panicked, responding with a 17–0 scoring run.
An Ivan Almeida turnover, followed by a foul that sent Samba Fall to the free-throw line, shook Kriol Star's chances later in the fourth period.
When former Kriol Star player Teotonio Dò buried a game-winning three-pointer with under six seconds remaining, there was no way back for the 2026 Road to BAL West Division Elite 16 hosts.
STATS DON'T LIE: CRBT won the rebounding battle with a 57-42 advantage, and they capitalised on their physical aggression in the paint, outscoring the Cape Verdean champions 42-20.
At times, the game resembled a three-point contest, with both teams scoring eleven three-pointers by the end of the third quarter.
HEROES: Bamba Diallo was the secret weapon that CRBT relied on to cause the tournament's first upset.
He shot 8-for-16, including 6-for-12 from deep, to finish with a game-high 23 points off the bench. His teammate Teotonio Dò added 13 points, as well as two massive blocks.
BOTTOM LINE: Kriol Star assembled an experienced team, with seven of their ten players having previously competed in the Basketball Africa League.
However, their star-studded line-up was unable to overcome the tenacious and determined CRBT team, who made a statement with this impressive win.
The main lesson from the Kriol Star vs CRBT game is that underestimating an opponent and lacking concentration at crucial moments can be costly.
Ultimately, Kriol Star were unable to rescue themselves, despite Babatunde Balogun's team-high 20 points.
WHAT THEY SAID: "We have to move on and try to win tomorrow. Our goal was to win this game for our fans. It's always special to play at home, and we haven't played in front of our supporters for almost ten years. However, we have to stay positive and try to bounce back.." - Kriol Star power forward Kenneti Mendes.
"I am the happiest Angolan on our country's Independence Day. I feel privileged to have had such an impact on this special day. Although this is the first time I have hit the game-winning shot in my career, the most important thing is that I am happy for the team." - CRBT center Teotonio Dò.
FIBA