Basketball in Africa

It was be divine providence that reigning Nigeria national women league champion, First Bank basketball club of Lagos escape defeat in the hands of Delta Force basketball club of Asaba in the opening day of the First Deepwater Discovery Battle for Supremacy Basketball tournament holding at the Sports Hall of the University of Lagos Sports Centre, Akoka, Lagos.

The Lateef Folami tutored Asaba, Delta State-based Force led the floor right from the blast of the referees’ whistle only to bow in the last quarter after winning comfortably in the first three quarters (17-15, 15-09, 14-12 and 10-21) to the Adewumi Aderemi coached First Bank Elephant Girls.

Delta Force inspirational guard, Magdalene Mukato led the floor with 18 points and 5 rebounds while her teammate Nkechi Akashile poured in 13 points and 4 rebounds, First Bank Vera Angwe led her teammates with 12 points, forward Ezine James added 10 points and 3 rebounds while Nigeria Senior Women national team forward, Chioma Udeaja grabbed 9 rebounds to redeem the image of the banker who won with just one point margin of 57-56.

First Bank also narrowly beat Delta Force on the board with a total 39 rebounds to Delta 35.

…Yusuf 29 points failed Pillars as Union Bank romp to 83-79 points win

Ibrahim Adamu Yusuf was spectacular in his side Kano Pillars basketball club 83-79 points lose to Union Bank basketball club of Lagos in the second game of the First Deepwater Discovery Battle for Supremacy tournament.

The Stallion boys were clearly ahead in the first three quarters of the tension soaked battle for supremacy having lost twice to the Pillars this season (21-19, 25-12 and 24-21) with Ibrahim inspiring the Pillars back to reckoning in the last quarter with a big win of 27-15 but this late rally was not enough to serve the day for them as they bow to the bankers by 83-79 points to set up a day-2 game against Niger Potters basketball club of Minna.

Ibrahim Yusuf led the floor with 29 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists while the duo of Haruna Maitama and Matthew Omoniya added 18 and 15 points respectively.

Kingsley Aguara led the Union Bank challenge with 14 points and 4 rebounds, Pierre Ebongue contributed 13 points, 3 rebounds and 2 steal just as the duo of Baba Jibril and Michael Ani added 12 and 10 points respectively with Michael Ohiero giving 5 assists.

Union Bank will take on fellow Atlantic conference club, Ebun Comets basketball club with a view of paying them back in their coin after suffering a 2-1 record in the hands of the Ayo Bakare tutored Comets.

….Bad day for Sunshine bow to Dolphins 54-41

The hope of Sunshine Angels basketball club of Akure to clinch the star-prize money of the First Deepwater Discovery Battle for Supremacy suffers a huge set back on the opening day as Wale Aboderin Dolphins handed the Coach Andrew Isokpehi girls the biggest defeat of the day of 54-41 points.

Dolphins won three of the quarters leaving the ‘Angels’ from Akure with just one (11-10, 06-16, 21-03 and 16-12).

Dolphins battle First Bank in the last game of Day-2 of the tournament while Sunshine and Delta Force slug it out in the second match of the day.

…Potters edge past Comets 66-56

Niger Potters basketball club and Nigeria senior national men team guard, Abubakar Usman led his team onslaught against Ebun Comets basketball club of Lagos in the first day of hostility of the First Deepwater Discovery Battle fro Supremacy tournament with a 66-56 points win.

Usman scored a double double of 20 points, 11 rebounds and 7 assist to send warning signal to other would-be title contenders.

Potters showed that they are in Lagos for business as they dominated the game in all four quarters with Comets always struggling from behind (15-13, 14-13, 10-07 and 27-23).

Potters who also beat the Ayo Bakare tutored Comets on the board with 37 rebounds against Comets 22 will today confront Pillars in a grudge game having lost to the Pillars by 59-58 points in a premier league pairing in Minna.

Comets youthful guard Deji Egbeyemi led his teammates with 16 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals.

Day-1 Results:
First bank 57-56 Delta Force
Union Bank 83-79 Kano Pillars
Dolphins 54-41 Sunshine Angels
Ebun Comets 56-66 Niger Potters

Day-2 Games:
Niger Potters Vs Kano Pillars
Sunshine Angels Vs Delta Force
Union Bank Vs Ebun Comets
First Bank Vs Dolphins

Day-3 Games:
First Bank Vs Sunshine Angels
Ebun Comets Vs Kano Pillars
Dolphins Vs Delta Force
Union Bank Vs Niger Potters

By Olusegun Ikuesan