23 March 2006
NIGERIA: Dodan Warriors upset Union Bank in OT.
"The excitement is back". aptly sums up the opening week matches of the 2006 V-mobile Premier Basketball League after three years of inaction in Nigeria's top flight league.
V - MOBILE PREMIER LEAGUE -
Ebun Comets set the tone in the opening match of the Atlantic Conference when it overan the Nigeria Customs on opening day last Saturday. Sunday 19th March was a double -header beginning with Lagos Islanders beating a rejuvenated Delta Force by 3 points before a youthful Dodan Warriors confronted the defending Champions, Union Bank in a "David Vs Golliath" setting.
And once more David truimphed over Golliath in a game pundits had already given to the bankers before the jump ball. Warriors won 78-70 in the game which went into overtime.(OT).
While Union Bank employed the half court controlled offense, looking for fast break points occasionally, for the Warriors it was transititon game all through. It was indeed "fire on the mountain" and at the end the youthful warriors parading players with an average age of between 16-17 years outran and outgunned the more experienced bankers who had in their fold national Point Guard Shola Alayande and former Warriors star Anyebe Alexander.
The big contributors for the Warriors were hirtherto unknown quantities like
7' 1" Charles Okwandu, 4 pts, 4 rebounds and 2 blocks in 6 minutes, PG Mohammed Bukar with 10pts, 4 Assists and consistent running, Seyi Ayodele Ahmed, who shot the leaving daylights out of the bankers from the 3 Pt range. Edwin jerry who was a monster filling the lanes were complemented by Omori Mbaram and Mike Umah who were effective inside and on the boards.
Though the 6' 9" Omori was 1 for 10 from the free throw line, he was very
effective on the boards and with his inside play where he drew a lot of fouls.
Speaking after the game, team proprietor and Technical Director of the team, Col Sam Ahmedu (Rtd) had this to say about the team which had been written off because of a large change of personnel in its roster' " Basketball is not necessarily about age of the players. We chose to field the young players from our Basketball Academy with high potentials to enable them gain experience playing at this level. And while our personnel may have changed, the team philosophy and intensity remains the same. We will always remain competitive".
The Warriors play the much experience Customs in their next game on April 1, in another high flyer due to the rivalry between the two teams.
V - MOBILE PREMIER LEAGUE -
Ebun Comets set the tone in the opening match of the Atlantic Conference when it overan the Nigeria Customs on opening day last Saturday. Sunday 19th March was a double -header beginning with Lagos Islanders beating a rejuvenated Delta Force by 3 points before a youthful Dodan Warriors confronted the defending Champions, Union Bank in a "David Vs Golliath" setting.
And once more David truimphed over Golliath in a game pundits had already given to the bankers before the jump ball. Warriors won 78-70 in the game which went into overtime.(OT).
While Union Bank employed the half court controlled offense, looking for fast break points occasionally, for the Warriors it was transititon game all through. It was indeed "fire on the mountain" and at the end the youthful warriors parading players with an average age of between 16-17 years outran and outgunned the more experienced bankers who had in their fold national Point Guard Shola Alayande and former Warriors star Anyebe Alexander.
The big contributors for the Warriors were hirtherto unknown quantities like
7' 1" Charles Okwandu, 4 pts, 4 rebounds and 2 blocks in 6 minutes, PG Mohammed Bukar with 10pts, 4 Assists and consistent running, Seyi Ayodele Ahmed, who shot the leaving daylights out of the bankers from the 3 Pt range. Edwin jerry who was a monster filling the lanes were complemented by Omori Mbaram and Mike Umah who were effective inside and on the boards.
Though the 6' 9" Omori was 1 for 10 from the free throw line, he was very
effective on the boards and with his inside play where he drew a lot of fouls.
Speaking after the game, team proprietor and Technical Director of the team, Col Sam Ahmedu (Rtd) had this to say about the team which had been written off because of a large change of personnel in its roster' " Basketball is not necessarily about age of the players. We chose to field the young players from our Basketball Academy with high potentials to enable them gain experience playing at this level. And while our personnel may have changed, the team philosophy and intensity remains the same. We will always remain competitive".
The Warriors play the much experience Customs in their next game on April 1, in another high flyer due to the rivalry between the two teams.
# posted by afrbk : 18:09
