Zambia’s representatives in the Basketball Africa League 2020 Qualifiers UNZA Pacers bowed out of the qualifying tournament despite winning their last Group A game against JKT.
Pacers started their campaign with loss against GNBC of Madagascar who beat them by 78-75 before going on to lose to the host club Patriots with a 76-53 score-line. The two defeats recorded by Pacers saw them losing out on the opportunity to make it to the semifinals of the BAL 2020 season.
However, the Pacers will exit the tournament with their heads high after managing to beat 69-55 over JKT at the Kigali Arena. Pacers leave the stage in third place while JKT finished bottom of the group with three points without a single win.
Maxwell Ngonga was among the top performers in the game along Haji Rashid Mbegu of JKT. Ngongo had 10 rebounds, 3 assists with 2 steals while contributing 4 points with his efficiency rated at +13.
Dingani Hara recorded the 14 points for the Midlands Super League outfit while Tyvon Cooper made 5 assists the most in the game as well he also had 2 steals and Simukwela Lubinda had the most blocks (3) in the game.
In the other group match, Patriots beat GNBC 94-88 to end top of the group. Patriots finished the group with a 100 % win record.
Patriots and GNBC qualified to the semi-finals of the championship which moves them close to making it to the inaugural Basketball Africa League 2020 starting in March.