Shooting 11-for-18 from the field, Diarra was too big for Petro and limited Ater Majok and Jone Pedro in the paint.
Forward Aliou Diarra had his name all over the game as Stade Malien defeated Petro de Luanda 73-65 to finish third in the Basketball Africa League.
Malien were top of the game from tip-off and took advantage of Petro’s sluggish start to lead 20-15 at the end of the first quarter.
Diarra was everywhere on the floor, scoring on one end and blocking shots on the other.
The power forward scored a game-high 25 points and gathered 12 rebounds to record a colossal double-double that turned out to be the difference in the end.
Shooting 11-for-18 from the field, Diarra was too big for Petro and limited Ater Majok and Jone Pedro in the paint.
The Angolan giants had a slow start but got going in the last two quarters, with team captain Carlos Morais finding his rhythm from distance to make it a contest in the end.
Morais pulled up from beyond the arc and connected to make it a three-point game (68-65) with 2.46 left on the clock in the fourth frame, but that was the last time Petro scored and Malien got over the line to seal third place.
Not in it
For Petro, the semi-final defeat on Wednesday clearly got the better of them mentally and playing in the third-place game turned out harder than anticipated.
Head coach Jose Neto and Morais all pointed to the fact that the team’s preparation from the start was in the direction of playing the final, not the bronze game.
With 15 points, Morais was the only Petro player to hit double figures as the rest struggled offensively.
Souleyman Diabate and Childe Dundao scored a mere six and five points, respectively, while Majok had eight.
Fourth place is a decline for Petro, who finished third in Season One and second last year.
Malien, on the other hand, will be pleased with finishing third on their BAL debut.
Basketball Africa League
Third Place playoff
Petro de Luanda 65-73 Stade Malien
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