With back-to-back wins in Harare, Matero Magic Basketball Club has had an incredible start to their Basketball Africa League (BAL) qualifying campaign.
The Zambian champions demonstrated their strength in their opening match by defeating Costa do Sol of Mozambique 78-71 after a fierce battle. With an outstanding 22 points, team captain Chongo Chona spearheaded the attack, with double doubles scored by Saul Phiri and Elijah Mukelabai.
The Magic defeated Malawi’s Bravehearts 82-67 in an even more commanding effort to extend their winning run. Saul Phiri kept up his impressive play with 16 points, while Martin Zubillaga was outstanding with 19 points and 4 assists.
Led by coach Manuel Silva, the team showed their depth with a remarkable 53-point bench effort as he used everyone on his bench, and with 24 points on the break and a commanding 52-32 advantage, their fast-break approach paid off handsomely.
“We got the win. It’s something to build on. We got two Ws, and we look forward to the next win. This gives momentum for the next game tomorrow,” said Demond Jones, who contributed 11 points to his team’s cause.
“We got off to a slow start, but we knew they only had eight players. So we were going to outrun the Bravehearts, to get them tired, and it worked for us,” added Jones.
Photo: Facebook/NOCS (National Olympic Committee of Zambia)