ABIDJAN (Cote d'Ivoire) - The Algerian side responded to edge Espoir Basket Club, 66-59, on Tuesday at Palais des Sports de Treichville in Abidjan.
For forward Amine Bensalah, who poured in a game-high 27 points, the match-up was not just any other game; it was a final.
"This was a final for us. It was either win or nothing,” Bensalah said. “As a team, we want to be at the BAL, we want to make history, but it starts here; we have to get out of the group.”
“We gave everything, and that’s the way you show out. I feel like our teammates, they did everything they could,” he added.
Right from the start of the game, Staoueli never settled for the 3-pointers, as they were in attack mode with Kurt-Curry Wegscheider (10 points) and Bensalah attacking the basket.
“I was just focusing. I just gave everything today, and my teammates did everything today. We tried to do our best to get the victory, and thank God we got that victory.
“I thank my teammates for sharing the ball, for, you know, helping me get to the rim. And I mean, I did my best. I tried to win the game. That’s all.”
Nadi Basket Staoueli jumped to a 25-20 first-quarter lead, going at Espoir, who still had eight active players. However, Espoir responded in the middle quarters, especially defensively, holding Staoueli to 10 points in each.
Throughout the game, Mahdi Zaim, Hichem Dekakene and Corey Mamigault caused lots of trouble for Espoir on the inside to open up the driving lanes that Bensalah exploited late in the game.
The short-handed Espoir Basket team returned to the court less than twenty-four hours after their unlikely 73-72 win against Nabaya, but the Algerians' desperation was more evident.
Both teams are now tied 1-1 in Group B before resuming their campaign on Thursday.
FIBA