Abidjan Ramblers beat Stallions 60-52 to top league, as ABL debuts in Cote d’Ivoire

The city of Abidjan was thrown into frenzy over the weekend when the African Basketball League (ABL) hosted the sport’s lovers to the Abidjan Challenge at Palais des sports de Treichville, Abidjan.

Abidjan Ramblers are currently top of the log in the African Basketball League (ABL) after their exciting performance at home.

The Abidjan Basketball Challenge featured four of the franchise teams in the ABL vying for honours in the competition.
Though the Ramblers lost 72 to 84 to Lagos Islanders in a highly entertaining clash, the 60 to 52 victory they recorded earlier against the Stallions ensured they still hold the advantage at the top of the log, having posted seven wins from nine games.

Jonathan Macklin was the lead scorer for the Ramblers, scoring a massive 21 points for his team and effectively condemning the Lagos-bank team to their eighth-straight defeat in the current campaign.

At the moment, Lagos Islanders are occupying the second spot on the table with six wins from nine games, while Lagos Warriors with three wins from seven games are third.

Speaking on the games of the league, Chief Executive Officer of ABL, Ugo Udezue, said the road trips would continue through the cities of Libreville and Dakar.

“The games are not for Lagos and Abidjan alone; the tours will also cover Dakar and Libreville this summer,” he said.

Mr. Udezue added that the ABL has brought another chapter to sports business and entertainment in Lagos and has contributed greatly to the economy in just a few months of existence.

Apart from the Basketball Challenge, the event also showcased African music stars and dancers, who spiced up the game with electrifying performances.

The Nigerian artistes were led by Sound Sultan, Chidinma, Korra and May D. DJ Arafat and others were also on ground to entertain fans.

The arena in Abidjan was filled to its capacity of over 5,000 spectators with tickets already sold out before the dunk off time.