ES Rades win three in a row ahead of facing defending champions

TUNIS (African Champions Cup) - Evariste Shonganya fought hard to prevent ASB Mazembe’s third consecutive defeat in Sunday’s only 2014 African Champions Cup Group B game in Tunis, Tunisia.

The Democratic Republic of Congo international finished with game-highs 28 points and 13 rebounds, however, Etoile Sportive Rades’ team effort made the difference for a 74-67 victory.

Etoile Sportive Rades continued unbeaten thanks to an impressive ball movement, which resulted in 19 assists, and allowed  four players to score in double digits, while Mazembe relied mostly in Shonganya and Aubin Kasongo, the only two players to score ten points or more for the Congolese side.

It was the Tunisians’ third win in a row ahead of a decisive game against the ACC reigning champions Primeiro D’Agosto on Monday. 

The winner of that game will advance to the next-round as the number one team in the Group. 

Guard Omar Abada, who featured for Tunisia in the 2011 FIBA U19 World Championship in Latvia, has become a valuable piece for Etoile Sportive Rades as his seven assists per game speak for themselves.

He had eleven points and dished out a game-best seven assists for the Tunisians, who qualified to the tournament as winners of FIBA Africa Zone 1 with a 7-0 record.

The defeat leaves Mazembe bottom of Group B alongside Abidjan Basketball Club of Cote d’Ivoire with a 0-3 record as both teams are yet to win a game.

They will face each other on Monday, and the winner of that game could still qualify for the next round if they win their last Group game on Tuesday.

On the other hand, Tunisian side Etoile Sportive Rades improved their record to 3-0 to share the Group lead along with D’Agosto. 

FIBA