The Democratic Republic of the Congo secured a hard-fought 72-64 victory over Mali in their opening Africa Champions Cup Qualifiers match on November 22nd. In a contest that remained tight for much of the night, the Congolese side used a strong defensive effort in the final quarter to pull away and claim a crucial win in the group stage. The match saw both teams exchange leads multiple times, with the score tied late in the third period. However, a decisive 8-0 run by the DRC, fueled by turnovers and fast-break points, created a cushion that Mali could not overcome. Key performances from the Congolese backcourt, who combined for several clutch steals and transition scores, proved to be the difference. This result immediately placed the DRC in a strong position in the early group standings, while Mali was left to regroup after a narrow defeat in a game they felt was within their grasp.