With a thrilling 72–68 win over Brno, the Fyllingen Lions celebrated their historic first victory in the European North Basketball League (ENBL). “It was an incredible experience and our best performance this season. We defended exceptionally well and left everything on the court,” said head coach Calix Black Ndiaye after his team held off Brno’s late-game push at Starez Arena Vodova.

After Nikolas Skouen drained a buzzer-beating three-pointer to close the third quarter, giving Fyllingen a 51–49 lead, the Lions never looked back. The reigning Norwegian champions stretched their lead to seven points (56–49), but the home team fought back, narrowing the gap to just one point (66–65) with 2:50 remaining. Dashawn Davis responded with a crucial long two-pointer, and Bouna Black Ndiaye added a technical free throw with 16 seconds left. Karamo Jawara then sank two more free throws in the same possession, extending the lead to 71–65 and putting the victory within reach.

Ethan Chargois, the game’s top scorer with 21 points, gave Brno a glimmer of hope with a three-pointer to make it 71–68, but with just 4 seconds left, the Czech side was forced to foul. Karamo Jawara sealed the deal with a final free throw, securing the 72–68 triumph.

“I’m incredibly proud of the team,” Coach Calix remarked. “Brno tried to shift the momentum, but we stuck to the game plan. While there were some standout individual performances, this victory was a collective effort from start to finish.”

Several Lions players delivered impressive performances in the win. Dashawn Davis tallied 17 points, 8 assists, 5 rebounds, 2 blocks, and drew 7 fouls. Bouna Black Ndiaye added 11 points, 4 steals, and 4 rebounds, while Joel Kanyinda recorded a double-double with 10 points, 11 rebounds, and 2 clutch steals. Karamo Jawara played a key role with 5 points, 3 rebounds, and 6 drawn fouls. Eric Fongué contributed 10 points, Nikolas Skouen had 8, Lars Mensah Espe added 6 points and 5 rebounds, Haji Jawara chipped in 4 points, and Oliver Bojang Visnes rounded out the scoring with 1 point.

Fyllingen will conclude their ENBL debut season with a home game against German powerhouse Bamberg on Wednesday, February 5, at Haukelandshallen. Before that, the league leaders face road games against Asker Aliens and Bærum this weekend.

Photo: Henriette W. Skouen