Jordan remains defiant despite opening day loss

FUS Rabat fans filled every seat at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex for the second game of the 2025 Basketball Africa League (BAL), but the result wasn't exactly what the Moroccan champions had hoped for.

Egyptian outfit Al Ittihad neutralized most of FUS Rabat's strengths; they were the aggressors at both ends of the floor, and at the final buzzer, the BAL debutants held on for a 71-60 victory.

FUS Rabat all-rounder Jonathan Jordan led all players in scoring with 22 points, but what the American guard really wanted was a win against "a very good team".

Only time will tell if FUS Rabat, who are making their second appearance in the BAL, can bounce back in their next five Kalahara Conference games to keep their playoff hopes alive, but Jordan remained defiant despite FUS Rabat's opening day loss.

"Obviously a tough loss against a very good team, but we feel like we should have won the game and beaten this team."

Rivers Hoopers, who beat Stade Malien in the first game of the 2025 BAL season, are FUS Rabat's next opponent on Sunday.

There is little time for FUS Rabat to regroup, but Jordan says: "It's more about us. We just have to stick to our game plan, be physical, eliminate second chance points. If we do that, we can beat anybody," said Jordan.

Coincidence or not, the truth is that the two losing teams on the opening day of the season were held to just 60 points.

The Rivers Hoopers protected the rim with impressive ferocity, swatting away five Stade Malien shots, but Jordan is aware of the Nigerian champions' strengths.

"We missed a lot of easy looks that we normally make, myself personally. We need to be a bit more physical.