Fyllingen Lions faced a challenging night in their first home game of the European North Basketball League (ENBL) against Keila from Estonia. Despite the support of 900 enthusiastic fans in Haukelandshallen, the Lions struggled without their star guard Dashawn Davis and an under-the-weather Lars Mensah Espe.

A Difficult Start and Uphill Battle

Keila took control early, leading 52–36 at halftime and extending their advantage to 22 points (62–40) at its peak. Although Fyllingen managed to narrow the gap to 12 points (68–80) with just four minutes remaining, Keila quickly responded with a bucket and one of their 14 three-pointers, sealing a 91–73 victory.

The absence of Dashawn Davis, the league’s leading scorer in both ENBL (26.7 PPG) and BLNO (26.1 PPG), was a significant blow. Davis sustained a thigh injury against Ammerud and was unable to play.

Key Challenges

• Turnovers: Fyllingen committed 21 turnovers, a stat the team attributed to the absence of their two primary guards.

• Three-Point Shooting: The disparity was stark, with Keila hitting 14 of 36 (38%) from beyond the arc, compared to Fyllingen’s 3 of 16 (18%). The result was a lopsided 42–9 scoring margin from three-pointers.

• Player Conditions: Lars Mensah Espe, recovering from the flu, managed just one point in 21 minutes.

Notable Performances

• Bouna Black Ndiaye: Stepped up with 23 points and 5 assists, showcasing leadership on the court.

• Joel Kanyinda: Delivered a solid performance with 13 points and 7 rebounds.

Coach’s Perspective

“We have a completely different flow to our game when Dashawn is on the court. He handles pressure well and opens up opportunities for others. Without him, players are forced into unfamiliar roles,” said coach Calix Black Ndiaye.

Despite the setback, the Lions remain focused on improving and adapting as they navigate this challenging ENBL campaign.