CAIRO (Egypt) - Senegalese champions ASC Ville de Dakar will head to their final Group Phase game with a perfect 2-0 mark following their 62-46 win over CNSS of DR Congo on Monday. The Moustapha Gaye-led side dominated the opening and third quarters to pull away from a hard-fighting CNSS side that tried to orchestrate a comeback in the second stanza, heading to the second half with a seven-point deficit despite trailing 26-12 in the opening quarter.
We are not getting too high or too low - Aliyah Matharu
Mame Khoudia and Aminata Ndong combined for 27 points in the victory, the former shooting 6-for-10 from the floor, with no attempts from range to finish with 14 points, a massive improvement from her four points in the side's win against APR of Rwanda. She added 13 rebounds, 8 on offense, for a double-double, adding two blocks to finish as her side's top performer with 21 in efficiency rating. For the second game in a row, Aminata Ndong scored in double digits, finishing with 13, three less than she did against the Rwandese side. She shot 4-for-6, including two from range while adding 8 rebounds, 5 assists and a steal for 19 in efficiency rating.
In an 18-5 third quarter domination, the duo combined for 11 crucial points that saw them carry a comfortable 20-point advantage that was barely challenged even as CNSS took the final quarter 14-10. Aliyah Matharu said after the victory: "I felt like we came out a bit slow. CNSS are unpredictable and it is always hard to guard players like that. We, however found our rhythm later on and passed the ball better to find the open person. There was a bit of confusion defensively, every time we have a specific play on ball screening but we had to change that because of the team we played and making the adjustment was a bit tricky."
Asked what the victory, that gets them to the next round, meant, she added, "We are taking it one game at a time. We are not getting too high or too low but adjusting to each opponent as they come an that is the best approach we can have. It feels great to go 2-0 and we are excited to keep pushing forward and winning games."
FIBA