BY OSTINE ARINAITWE
Fiba Africa club championship
Final
Primeiro 88-64 Petro Atletico
Third place playoff
APR 92- 80 Mazembe
Classification games
Co-op Bank 68-77 Inter-club
Kano Pillars 107-76 ASPAC
Primeiro d’Agosto of Angola retained the Fiba Africa Club Championship title they won last year in Tunisia with a convincing 88-64 points win over archrivals Petro Atletico in the final played last evening at Amahoro stadium court.
The Luanda based club, inspired by last year’s Most Valuable Player [MVP] Joaquim Gomes won the first two quarters; 19-16 and 22-17 as the Primeiro took a first half advantage of 8-point, 41-33.
2006 champions, Petro Atletico fought back ferociously in the third quarter but were still beaten by a more determined and articulate Primeiro side, who also took the third quarter 21-20 hence extending their lead going into the last quarter.
However, as the intensity of the game grew and time running out, Petro Atletico’s Curtis Terry was sent off by the referee for making uncomplimentary remark after a charge foul was called against him thus putting his team under severe pressure.
Terry’s sending off didn’t help his team’s cause as they went on to lose the fourth and final quarter 26-11.
Primeiro’s Carlos Almeida led the floor with a game high 24 points, Armando Costa recorded 18 points and 4 assists, Joaquim Gomes had 15 points and 16 rebounds with Ferlizardo Ambrosio adding 11 points and 6 rebounds.
Mario Porter and Eduardo Mingas led Petro’s charge with 18 points, 9 rebounds and 12 points and 6 rebounds respectively.
Host club APR finished in third place after beating DR Congo’s champions Mazembe 92-80.
Primeiro’s Vladimir Jeronimo was voted MVP, while APR’s Mathew Miller took home the best three pointer gong.
Primeiro will represent Africa at the 2010 FIBA World Championship which will be hosted by Turkey from August 28 to September 12.