Al Ittihad Alexandria survived a serious scare, but in the end, they held firm. It took overtime and every ounce of their composure for the Egyptian powerhouse to edge FUS Rabat 86–83 and punch their ticket to the 2025 Basketball Africa League semifinals.
After the game, Egyptian national team center Anas Mahmoud shared his thoughts exclusively with Seneweb.
“Winning when we’re not playing our best basketball says a lot about this team,” Mahmoud said.
“Getting defensive stops, grabbing rebounds, and making the right decisions—that comes from trust and experience. Everyone stepped up in the final moments. But we need to learn from this game and get ready for the next one.”
A win carved out under pressure
The game had all the makings of a collapse. Al Ittihad had already beaten FUS Rabat twice earlier in the Kalahari Conference by wide margins. But this time, the Moroccan side came with a different mentality.
Still, Mahmoud and his teammates found a way to respond in the decisive moments.
“This is amazing. I’ve been here twice before. One time, I won everything. The other time, I lost in the semifinals. So I can’t wait to get back on that floor in three days.
Representing Egypt and Al Ittihad… it makes me incredibly proud. Now we have to go all in and give everything. The result will follow.”
BAL as a driver of transformation
Beyond the pressure and results, Mahmoud took a moment to recognize how the Basketball Africa League is changing the game across the continent.
“What the BAL is doing in Africa is fantastic. They’re changing the mindset—from seeing sport as a hobby to treating it as a real profession.
Even in Egypt, teams now understand the need to invest in order to stay at the top. Al Ittihad has been investing for three or four years under our president, and before that, it was Zamalek.
More and more teams are buying in, and I believe this league is going to reach an entirely new level in the coming years.”
Advice to the next generation
Asked what message he would send to young Africans dreaming of playing in the BAL one day, Mahmoud gave a realistic but hopeful answer:
“You have to work hard on your game. Understand that this is not for everyone. If you want to be in the top 1 or 2%, you need discipline.
And you have to understand the mental side of the game. That’s just as important. Maybe more.”
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