Defending basketball champions Leopards of the Democratic Republic of Congo suffered a tough loss in the semi-final of the 2nd edition of the AfroCan in Luanda, against the Atlas Lions of Morocco. Despite their resistance in the third and fourth quarters, the Leopards failed to reverse the trend and lost 69-76.
This defeat marks the end of Congolese hopes of winning this competition a second time. They will now have to settle for the ladder match for third place, hoping to salvage their honor.
However, the Leopards had shown their potential by eliminating the D’Tigers of Nigeria to access this stage of the competition. Unfortunately, they fell on a stronger and better prepared Moroccan team, which knew how to seize the Congolese errors and take the advantage from the first quarters.
Despite this defeat, the Leopards can be proud of their performance and their journey in this competition. They showed their talent and their determination, and even if they did not achieve their ultimate goal, they left a mark in the history of Congolese basketball.
Now their attention turns to the ladder match and the possibility of securing third place. It will be a tough challenge, but the Leopards are ready to give their all on the pitch and fight until the end.
Whatever the outcome of this game, the Leopards can go home with their heads held high knowing that they represented their country with pride and showed their skills on the African stage. They will be back, stronger and more determined than ever, ready to take on new challenges and continue their quest for basketball excellence.
In conclusion, the defeat of the DRC Leopards in the semi-finals of the AfroCan is a blow, but this should not taint their achievements and their determination. They showed their talent and passion for the game, and that should be celebrated. Their journey in this competition will go down in the annals of Congolese basketball, and they still have many opportunities to shine in the future