Basketball in Africa

Nigeria's First Bank basketball club hope of escaping a tough opponent in the quarter-finals of the 13th FIBA Africa Champions Cup for Women in Maputo, Mozambique depends on today's encounter against Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Lupopo basketball club of Kinshasha.

Having lost and won a match each, the Nigerian champions will file out against the Congolese side at the gymnasium of Grupo Desportivo stadium in Maputo, Mozambique.

First Bank (Elephant Girls), who paid dearly for underrating Intsituto Superior Polytenca (I.S.P.U) basketball club of Maputo on match Day-1 on Friday, rallied back to beat Kenya Ports Authority to keep their chance of progressing in the championship they won in 2003 edition in Mozambique.Meanwhile, First Bank coach, Aderemi Adewumi assured that there is no cause for alarm in their quest to search for more victory as their last group game would be against defending champion, Primero Agosto of Angola on Wednesday.

"We have learnt a bitter lesson; our lost to I.S.P.U was due to over confidence on our part forgetting that the gap is being bridge between the so called super power and the minors in Africa basketball.

"What we need to do is make sure we don't our game against the team from Congo, Lupopo, with that we are sure of escaping a tough pairing in the quarter finals.