BENGHAZI (Afrobasket 2009) - It was an evening the Egyptian will not want to forget in a hurry as they tied the game at 73 points with three second left for the game to go into over-time, a side ball in-bound by Libya did the damage when the ball found the hands of Libyan Raid Fareed who wasted no time as he took a jump-shot that went through at the buzzer shot to give his side a hard earned victory the first since the round-of-eight-final began on Sunday.

The Libyan had took a narrow 13-12 points win in the first quarter but extended the lead in the second quarter by 27-16 points thus going into the break with a 40-28 points lead.

The Egyptian who has won the championship a record five times came back into the third quarter after the break looking more dangerous and determined not to be cowed by the vociferous fans at the Sulieman Al-Darat Hall in Benghazi rallied to a 24-14 points win to go into the last quarter with just two points deficit.

And when it appear as if the first over-time will be witnessed in Benghazi with three seconds left Fareed rose to the occasion to put paid to the ambition of the Pharaohs with the accurate jump-shot that made the difference.

Libyan Alfateh Belgasim led the floor with 23 poinst and 6 rebounds while the quartet of Mohamed Mersal, Hisham Farag, Mohamed Kwesir and match winner Raid Fareed contributed 15, 13, 12 and 10 points each.

Libya will battle Mali in its final round-of eight final on Tuesday while Egypt will attempt to redeem its fading fortune when it confront wounded Elephant of Cote d’Ivoire in a decisive game as both sides search for first victory in group-E.

FIBA Africa