Could FUS Rabat's win over Stade Malien be the turning point?

What a difference 48 hours of intense pressure can do to a team fighting to defend home court!

The FUS Rabat dressing room was an eerie place after the Moroccan champions lost their second game in a row, this time to high-flying Al Ittihad on Sunday night.

Some of the players looked so down that it was clear that something big would have to happen for the hosts of the 2025 Kalahari Conference to cheer.

And on Tuesday night, the same dressing room was transformed into a title-winning parade, with players singing, hugging and encouraging each other. It was an exhilarating atmosphere, having just beaten Stade Malien for their first win of the BAL 2025 season.

The 20-point margin (92-72) might suggest an easy win, but FUS Rabat were tested for most of the first three quarters.

FUS Rabat led by as much as 22 points in the second quarter, but in a turn of events Stade Malien switched to a 2-3 zone defense and it paid off, cutting the deficit to just 45-41 at the break.

There was no way FUS Rabat was going to fall 0-3. You could see it in the faces of their players. They fought like there was no tomorrow, and as much as Stade Malien changed defensively, Johnathan Jordan, Nisre Nzouzoua and Ayoub Nouhi never considered any other outcome.

After shooting a combined 10-for-43 from behind the arc in the first two games, FUS Rabat shot 12-for-24 from long range on Tuesday night; its bench contributed 28 points and they capitalized on Stade Malien's turnovers to score 28 points.

Zouzoua led the way with 22 points, Nouhi added 19 and Jordan chipped in with 16.

"We were hurt after those two losses. We knew we had to come back stronger and play together for forty minutes," said Yacine Baeri, who shot 3-for-4 from behind the arc to finish with 11 points off the bench.

The Stade Malien locker room was a place of deep silence. It was their third loss in as many games.

"This loss left a bitter taste in our mouth, but we didn't play well enough," said Stade Malien Aliaye Togo, who scored 12 of Stade Malien's 17 points.

Togo insisted that they "have to find out what's not working and try to bounce back. We must get out of this [0-3] situation.

"We have to stick together, regroup and find a way to win the next games," Togo added.

Baeri, meanwhile, was delighted.

"We showed great character as a team and that's how we won this game," he said.

Could this be the turning point for FUS Rabat in the Kalahari Conference?

"It's a great feeling after those two defeats. Now we can play with more freedom and confidence and hopefully we can win the next three games," he replied.

FUS Rabat desperately needed three-point specialist Baeri to be at his best.

He revealed that FUS Rabat coach Said El Bouzidi was the first to encourage him to play his game.

"He told me, When you're open, don't hesitate, shoot the ball.

"I had some open looks and I appreciate my teammates for finding me open."

Baeri also admitted that Stade Malien's zone defense caused them some discomfort.

"We're not used to playing against a zone defense, but we made some adjustments at the right time."

FUS Rabat resume their Kalahari Conference campaign on Thursday when they take on Al Ittihad, while Stade Malien will be looking for their first win when they take on Rivers Hoopers.