Basketball in Africa

It was sweet victory for Union Bank basketball club of Lagos in a return premier league fixture against visiting Savannah Conference power-house Niger Potters basketball club of Minna Tuesday night at the sports hall of the Lagos National Stadium.
Both sides gave a good account of themselves with the Minna-based Potters coming from 20 points down at the close of the third quarter to lose gallantly by just eight points 70-62 to the Atlantic Conference strong team.
Potters guard and playmaker, Abubakar Usman and Union Bank guard/forward, William Ndounmbe were the star-players of the night with Usman urging his teammates on in the tension soaked encounter.
Cameroonian-born Ndounmbe who was spectacular on the night told our correspondent after the match that the game brought the best out of him and his teammates who surrendered to the Potters in the last quarter of their first road-trip game in Minna last month when one of their point guard, Daniel Daudu sustained a serious injury.
Both sides shared the quarters evenly with Union Bank winning in the first and third quarters (20-14 and 27-17) while Potters won in the second and fourth quarters (10-09 and 21-14).
Potters who on Monday defeated Delta Force basketball club of Asaba in its first road game to the Atlantic conference 76-40 points will today take on Nigeria Customs Service basketball club of Lagos.

..Whales, Comets win in Lagos City league

Whales basketball club Tuesday defeated Flames basketball club by 67-36 points in a Lagos City league game played at the sports hall of the National stadium, Lagos.
Whales coached by Charles Osho clearly out played the Flames in all department of the game winning in all four quarters 19-11, 16-08, 13-03 and 19-14 to brighten its chances of making it to the playoffs stage of the league.
Also on Tuesday, premier league side, Ebun Comets basketball club struggled to beat little known Rookies Academy by 44-31 points.
The Comets tutored by former Nigeria national team head coach, Ayo Bakare who may have underrated the Rookies who featured players between ages 13 and 17 have to fall back on experience and power play to out wit the Rookies who gave a good account of themselves with the fans cheering every of their moves against Comets.
The Comets won in three of the four quarters 13-06, 09-08, 13-07 and 09-10 to avoid a shock defeat.

Action continues today in the city league with the Rookies taking on the Raptors in a battle of the Academies at noon while Chariot will engage Union Bank at 14.00 hours before the big one between Customs and Potters at 16.00 hours.

by Olusegun Ikuesan