BAYA have a date with Premium Cobras in the semifinal of the men’s division one Top-of-the-table tournament after overcoming a spirited Angels 94-83 on Tuesday at the Palais des Sports.
Called on by the Seychelles Basketball Federation late last week to replace MBU Rockers, Angels had only six players for the encounter, but they did not drop their guard too easily.
Nobody dared to step up their defence in the group B encounter, concentrating on their offensive assaults to see them through.
Seychelles Basketball Federation (SBF) Cup winners with a 2-1 victory over Premium Cobras in the best-of-three final series, Baya pulled away early to lead 24-21 at the end of the first quarter before their advantage grew into double digits – 19 – at the break following a big second-quarter performance during which they outscored Angels 39-23.
Baya stayed in command in the third quarter, which they won 19-18, but their lead shrank to just eight with two minutes remaining in the final 10-minute spell as Angels kept bombarding them through Barry Dubignon, who finished with a game-high 35 points, including four 3-pointers.
Although Angels triumphed 21-12 in the last quarter, it was not enough for them to tie the match and force overtime as Baya hung on to the win behind playmaker Giovanni Laval’s 27 points, among them seven treys.
Coach Michel Malbrook’s Baya will now meet group A losers Premium Cobras in the semifinal, while Angels will clash with PLS Hawks for a place in the final.
G. G.