It was baptism of fire for latest entrant to the biggest women club competition in Africa Nigeria league runner-up and champion of FIBA Africa Zone-III qualifiers for women, First Deepwater basketball club as it lost her group-B opening game to Angola Interclube basketball club on Saturday at the Palais des Sports, Cotonou, Benin Republic.
The Coach Lateef Erinfolami tutored Nigerian side lost in all four quarters by 14-09, 22-17, 28-16 and 19-16 points to go down by 83-58 points.
First Deepwater youthfulforward’s efforts of 15 points, 9 rebounds and 2 steals was not enough to save the side who took the whole of Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire by storm during the zone-III elimination which saw them beating the likes of ABS and CSA basketball clubs of Cote d’Ivoire.Interclube Judith Queta led her team with 12 points and 7 rebounds while Ida Rosada added 10 points for their side victory.
15th AFCCW: Camara powered ABC past Energie 79-46
Fatoumata Camara gave a five-star performance Saturday leading her side Abidjan Basket Club (ABC) pass host of the final round of the 15th FIBA Africa Champions Club Competition for Women posting 18 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assist to give her side a 79-46 points victory.
The victory, the second for the Ivories in group-A of the competition saw them winning in all-four quarters by 24-20, 14-10, 20-08 and 21-08.
ABC Salimata Berte and Ramatou Kone contributed 15 points, 5 rebounds and 12 points respectively while the trio of Energie Charlotte Babalola, Kefilath Inoussa and Mouckiatou Cibirila scored 14, 12 and 10 points for their side.
15th AFCCW: Kani too hot for Sporting
After posting a big win over the defending champion Friday, Alexandra Sporting Club of Egypt were made to pay dearly by Cote d’Ivoire CSA basketball club in the Day-2 pairing of the FIBA Africa Champions Club Competition for Women with a 69-48 points lose.
The Egyptian had even scores in the first and last quarters at 12 and 20 points apiece but paid for the audacious spirit which saw them rattled Desportivo on match Day-1.
CSA led by youthful guard Kani Kouyate who displayed a lot of guts scoring a competition high of 25 points, 7 rebounds, 5 steal and 2 assists lead her side search for first win after losing to Interclube of Angola in the group-B opening game Friday.
Kouyate teammate Minata Fofana grabbed 9 rebounds for her side to stop the ambitious Egyptian from picking a second win.
15th AFCCW: Udeaja lift First Bank past A’Politcnica 74-54
Nigeria senior women national team and First Bank basketball club forward, Chioma Udeaja proved to the best player on the court on a day the elephant girls shakes off first quarter loss of 22-11 points to go past Mozambique A’Politcnica of Maputo recording a double double figure of 23 points, 16 rebounds and 3 block-shots.
First Bank came back strongly into the game after the first quarter loss to take charge of proceeding from the second quarter through the last quarter winning by 24-13, 16-14 and 23-05 points to win at 74-54 points.