D’Agosto survive Nzui-Manto scare, Libolo bounce back behind Joaquim’s huge display

CAIRO (FIBA Africa Champions Cup 2016) - A day after suffering a heartbreaking defeat in Group B, Recreativo do Libolo bounced back in style edging out Algeria champions GS Petroliers 93-84.

Making their FIBA Africa Champions Cup (ACC) 2016 debut, former continental champions Primeiro D’Agosto needed to step up against Nzui-Manto of Cameroon to avoid what seemed to becoming the biggest upset in Thursday’s action.

The Angolan champions trailed 39-38 at half-time, but last year’s ACC MVP Emmanuel Quezada emerged when it mattered most - hitting three straight three-pointers in the third quarter giving D’Agosto a 14-point lead - and they never trailed again winning 86-78.

Quezada finished with game-highs 27 points and six assists to deny the Cameroonians, who conceded their second defeat in as many games in Group A.

In the first game of the day, Angolan international Valdelicio Joaquim was huge for Libolo.

The 2.08m center did a bit of everything, grabbing rebounds at both ends of the floor, making 9 of his 14 shots near the rim to finish with game-highs 26 points and 11 rebounds.

In the process, the ACC 2014 champions, who led all but a minute of the contest, improved their Group B record to 1-1 following Wednesday’s 84-83 defeat to AS Sale of Morocco.

Four Algerians - Abdellah Hamdini, Abdesslem Dekkiche, Isaac Wells and Hocine Gaham - scored in double in double figures combining for 59 GS Petroliers’ 84 points, but Libolo weren’t prepared to fall again, and as a result, GS Petroliers are now 1-1.

FIBA