Basketball in Africa

Coach Ahmadu Abbah of Taraba Hurricanes women basketball club of Jalingo says his club has lost all hopes of qualifying for the Zenith Bank Women Basketball League final eight play-offs.
Abbah said this in Ilorin yesterday after his team lost their sixth match 26-79 to defending champions First Deepwater at the league's second phase.
The loss came with only one match to go at the ongoing second phase of the competition's 2014 edition holding in Ilorin.
The coach however expressed optimism that the club would be better next season and go on to qualify to play in the final eight play-offs.
"Having lost all the six matches we have played so far, and with only one match to go, we know we cannot make the final eight play-offs in Lagos.
"But there is an improvement this season, better than when we played last season, when we could not hit the basket nor defend.
"Other clubs were scoring freely against us, beating us with almost 100-point margins. But, here we are today, and we held the defending champions to a lesser margin. So, we are coming up gradually.
"I am sure that by next season, we will spring surprises because our target will be to be at the play-offs," Abbah said.
The coach who doubles as the club's Chairman however said it was a matter of time before his club becomes a force to reckon with in the league.
"It is a matter of time before our club becomes one of the top shots in the league, because we have not stayed long in the league and this is our second season.
"What we will do now, after leaving here (Ilorin), is to immediately start preparing for the next season," Abbah said.