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Basketball fans had an appointment on Saturday and Monday with the return semi-finals of the Throne Cup, 2012-2013 edition, featuring ASS-RSB in Salé and WAC-MAS in Casablanca. At the end of these two meetings, we know the two finalists, namely the RSB and the MAS, who punched their tickets with style and skill.
The return match of the Throne Cup is only the extension of the first leg. The RSB and the MAS negotiated their away matches well by disposing of their counterparts ASS and WAC, thanks in particular to their experience and the contribution of some of their stars.
The meeting last Saturday, which took place in the Bouazzaoui hall in Salé between the ASS and the RSB, was whistled by the refereeing trio Ziad-Hanafi-Benchrif. During this confrontation, the RSB started the match at full speed by imposing an accelerated pace on the locals, winning the first quarter with a score of 14-27 and 32-46 at the break, which says a lot about the dominance of the Berkanis. During the third quarter, despite the efforts made by Najah Abderrahim with 22 points, Zakaria Mesbahi (15), and Soufiane Kourdou (14), the Slaouis never managed to overcome the 13 points conceded in the first leg. The third quarter ended with a score of 57 to 66. At the end of the match, the protégés of coach Naoufel Uriachi woke up from their stupor by imposing a raised rhythm on their opponents, which somewhat bothered the Berkanis. A late reaction, just before the end of the match with a score of 75-78 in favour of the visitors.
If the ASS lost the qualification match for the final because of the absence of its foreign players, it did, however, gain two elements from its school, thanks to the groundwork undertaken by its seasoned trainer Uriachi. For its part, the RSB amply deserves its qualification for the final, given its journey whether in the Cup or in the championship. The best scorers for the RSB were Abdelhakim Zouita with 25 points, Barazi (20), and Moutalibi (9).
In the other semi-final, and in front of more than 7,000 spectators and after a first quarter up to the mark of 15-11, the Wydad of Casablanca did not manage to free itself from the pressure to widen the gap and make up for its ten-point deficit recorded in Fez, 26-28 in the second quarter, 39-40 at the end of the third, and 61-57 at the final whistle.
The WAC coach Zeljko Zécévic completely forgot this time that a basketball match is won in defence and not by rushing into attack in any old way. On the other hand, the MAS coach Drasko was smarter by playing for a low score and basing his tactics on three-point shots from Matar Nbaye (19 points), the Serbian Mijativic (13 pts), Mohamed Hjira (11 pts), and Omar Masrouri (8 pts). Thus, the final score for the first and second legs is 115 to 121; the MAS won by a 6-point difference, stealing the show from the Wydadis and depriving them of a place in the final that their supporters had dreamed of for a week. See you on Saturday, May 4th, for an unprecedented final between the MAS and the RSB in the Omnisport hall of the Moulay Abdellah Complex in Rabat.
Provider / Source : Abdelmajid BOUSLIM, Libération
