Basketball in Africa

EAGLE Wings registered their sole won in the 14th Fiba Africa Champions Cup for women when they hit Victoris Club of DR Congo 49-37 in a low scoring tie counting for the classification at Nyayo National Stadium gymnasium today.

The Kenyans who lost all their five preliminary pool A matches, were not at their best but were determined not to lose again and did well to respond any threat posed by their opponents.

After the Congolese had taken a 1-0 lead on a free shot by Mikeno Ngono, Bridgit Nanzala replied for the winners who went on to take a lead 11-7 before Victoria clutched back three times but still trailed 12-13 at the end of the first quarter.

In the second, Wings struggled for grip and were never really in full control but doing enough defensively to deny Victoria access to easy passing seams. They took a close 27-24 margin as the two teams went to the half time break.

After resumption, it was the lively Njeri who potted a basket that stretched the advantage to 37-30 as they came out full court press. This seems to pay dividend as it disorientated the losers who went to throw turn over after turn over.
As soon as the last quarter, got underway, it was Njeri again who buried a three pointer that took the lead to 40-31. Both sides then went scoreless for a long spell before of colour Caroline Achieng forced in a shot for a 12 point cushion.
Nanzala led Wings with 12 points while Mburu Anastasia bagged another 10. For the Congolese, it was the ever busy Kalanga Tshinyanga who was the main player. She was the only one who posted double digit scores as she nailed game high of 18 points.
Wings will today meet Radi again in a game that will determine who finished the ten day tournament in the ninth and tenth position. In their pool A meeting, Wings sucumbed 61-72.