First Bank Basketball Club maintained their 100 per cent record are are in the semis after defeating Lakers of Zimbabwe 86-56 in their third game Monday at the FIBA Africa Women Champions Cup in Maputo, Mozambique.
Typical of the Nigerian team at this championship, they came out of the block smoking and choking their opponents and dominating the entire proceeding except in the third quarter when they lost their way.
The Elephant Girls were the favourites to win and they didn’t leave anyone in doubt of their abilities as they closed the game in style. The four quarters scores were 27- 8, 22-16, 11-20, 26-12 for a cumulative score of 86-56.
Jasmine Nwajei was the star of the Nigeria side as she posted 20 points to the floor. Aisha Mohammed who was playing her first game after arriving late for the competition due to flight hitches 14 points, while Malaika Nyree Green and Nkechi Akashile added 12 and 11 points respectively to add gloss to the score.
The four Nigerian players were the only ones who made double digit score, while for the Zimbabweans had three players – Melisa Majonga (14 points), Charity Chigunmba (13 points) and Dorcas Marondera (13 points) made double digit score for the Zimbabweans.
The Zimbabweans, at times, like the more composed side with their dribbling runs and excellent passes and shooting, but the experienced Nigerian side were too much for them tame and have to wait for another chance to get their pound of flesh.
Coach Peter Ahmedu who has instilled his ultra-defensive style on the players was left in awe in the third quarter as the smaller Zimbabwean players took the Nigerians to the cleaners. He was, however, on his feet for the better part of the fourth quarter dishing out instruction to his players. And when he felt the win had been secured, he sat down to enjoy the rest of the game.
Ahmedu would need to work on the psyche of the players who are yet to play to their strength despite recording three wins in a row. The fact that six of the players joined the squad at the venue of the championship is still affecting co-ordination but they should be ready for INSS of Congo on Wednesday for the final group game after observing tomorrow as day off.