Basketball in Africa

Nigeria women team, the defending champion failed to advance to the semi-final round of the 20th Africa Nations Championship for Women bowing out in the quarter-final to Mozambique by 69-61 points.

The more determined Mozambican side inspired by former Academica basketball club of Maputo point guard, Ngulela Deolinda showed that they mean business from the blast of the referees’ whistle winning the first quarter 17-14 points.

Down with injury Nigeria captain, Mfon Udoka who played only 12 minutes at the second half time, watched as her team-mates bundled a third attempt at the African title, though the Kevin Cook coached Nigerian side fought back in the second quarter with a 16-15 points to end the first half at 32-30 points.

Deolinda and her colleagues put the match beyond the reach of the former champion in the third quarter with a big win of 22-14 points to go into the fourth quarter with a 10 points advantage of 54-44 points.

Efforts by the Nigerians to fight back in the last quarter proved abortive as they could only managed a 17-15 point’s win to kiss the dust 69-61 points.

Mozambique Carla Da Silva 28 points and 3 rebounds, Clarisse Machanguana 18 points, 7 rebounds, Deolinda had 8 assists, 4 rebounds to lift her side.

Olayinka Sanni proved a great player scoring 17 points, 9 rebounds and 2 block-shot; Chisaokwu Ononiwu contributed 13 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists, while Joyce Ekworomadu added 10 points and 3 rebounds

# posted by afrbk : 22:21