COSPN Defeats RBC Boeny to Retain Madagascar Basketball Title

The COSPN men’s basketball team secured a 74-68 victory against RBC Boeny to claim their second Madagascar N1A national title. The intense final, which started at 18:27 local time, featured multiple lead changes and a fierce battle in the closing minutes before the police club successfully defended its crown.

Police Club Survives Early Boeny Surge

RBC Boeny caught the defending champions off guard right from the tip-off, establishing a rapid 7-0 lead within the first two minutes of play. COSPN responded when Livio drained a three-point shot to cut the deficit to 3-7. The reigning champions steadily chipped away at the margin, narrowing the gap to 6-7 after four minutes and twelve seconds.

The momentum shifted near the six-minute mark of the opening period when COSPN grabbed its first lead at 12-11. Anthony followed up immediately with a high-flying dunk to push the advantage to 14-11. The defending champions extended their control to 19-11 before closing out the first quarter ahead 21-13.

COSPN Maintains Lead Through Second Quarter

The second period proved far more competitive as RBC Boeny fought to close the gap. COSPN maintained a narrow cushion on the scoreboard, leading 23-18 with seven minutes and thirty-eight seconds remaining before the halftime break. Boeny refused to fold, surging back to trail by just two points at 22-24 with six minutes left in the half. COSPN managed to steady its footing, heading into the locker rooms with a 34-30 advantage.

Coming out of the break, COSPN unleashed a devastating 7-0 run fueled by four points from Anthony and a three-pointer from Marco, stretching the score to 41-30. The onslaught continued as the lead swelled to 13 and then 15 points, reaching 45-30 with seven minutes and eight seconds left in the third quarter. Working in tandem with teammate Arnol, Anthony picked apart the RBC Boeny defense to build a 47-30 margin.

COSPN Holds off Late RBC Boeny Comeback

RBC Boeny refused to surrender easily and mounted a furious comeback attempt in the dying minutes of the third quarter. Trailing 52-43 with just twenty-one seconds left on the clock, Boeny sliced the deficit to 46-52 before heading into the final frame.

The tension peaked in the fourth quarter. COSPN pushed ahead 58-48 with six minutes and thirteen seconds remaining, but Boeny clawed back to 55-60 and eventually narrowed the gap to a single point at 60-61. In the crucial money-time minutes, COSPN held its composure. Despite a final push from Boeny that brought them within five at 71-66, the police club closed out the 74-68 win.

Anthony Rasolomanana Leads COSPN to Second Title

Anthony Rasolomanana led the charge for COSPN with 16 points, earning the Most Valuable Player award for the final. “It is a pride for COSPN to win the Madagascar champion title two years in a row,” Rasolomanana said.

COSPN club president Samy Olivier Harison acknowledged the difficulty of the path back to the top. “We are very happy to have managed to keep the title,” Harison said. “It was not easy, but it is a sort of reward for the whole team.”

On the opposing side, RBC Boeny expressed bitter disappointment after coming within striking distance of an upset. “It is a bitter defeat,” Rapha said, pointing to a lack of experience during the crucial closing moments of the championship match.