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Tag: First Bank Basketball Club

  • ACCW: Ambassador commends Elephant Girls

    ACCW: Ambassador commends Elephant Girls

    Nigeria’s Ambassador to Angola, His excellency, Adesesan Olatunde has commended First Bank Basketball Club for doing Nigeria proud at the FIBA Africa Champions Cup for Women (ACCW), which ended on Sunday in Luanda, Angola.

    At a reception held in honour of the team at his residence, Olatunde described the Elephant Girls as worthy ambassadors, whose heroics are worth honouring. He stated that winning the bronze for the second time in a row was a sign that the girls have the potential to finish tops at the next edition of the championship.

    “It is a great joy to associate with your success. This achievement is not a mean fit considering that several clubs from across Africa took part at the competition. Your achievement at the event is well documented and I am sure you will come tops at the next edition,” the ambassador added.

    Consultant to the team, Segun Odegbami (MON), commended the embassy for hosting the team, once again, after the same honour was accorded it, when it finished fourth at the 2015 edition, which also took place in Luanda.

    He said the skills and the Nigerian spirit propelled the team to victory over defending champions, Inter Club in the third place match. The former Super Eagles captain noted that the team has done the country proud and would continue to do so at subsequent tournaments.

    “I must commend the embassy for hosting us again as well as the team for the great performance they put up throughout the championship especially in the third place match where they demystified the defending champions to pick the bronze.

    “I believe that the element of the game conspired to give us the win against Inter club. Once again, I salute the players for their courage,” Odegabmi added.

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  • ACCW: First Bank Beat Inter Club to finish third

    ACCW: First Bank Beat Inter Club to finish third

  • ACCW: First Bank BC finishes second in Group A

    ACCW: First Bank BC finishes second in Group A

     

    Nigeria’s representatives, First Bank Basketball Club have finished second in Group A to set up a quarter final clash against Kenya Port Authority (KPA) at the FIBA Africa Champions Cup for Women in Luanda, Angola.

     In the final group game, the FIBA Africa Zone Three representatives, also known as the Elephant Girls, fought brilliantly but ended up losing 79-92 to defending champions and host, Inter Club.

    The four quarter scores were 21-24, 17-26, 15-24, 26-18 for a cumulative score of 79-92 in favour of the Angolans. The Nigerian girls who were down with over 25 points in the third quarter, fought back brilliantly to reduce the deficit to nine points, but lacked the final push to upset the host.

    After the gruelling encounter against Inter Club, the Nigerian team will now shift their focus to the quarter final game against KPA tomorrow. The Kenyans finished third in group B and will take a on Nigerian side they have never beaten at the ACCW.

    The odds favour First Bank and a win against KPA will draw the Nigerian closer to its ambition of winning the title.

  • ACCW: First Bank BC records third consecutive victory

    ACCW: First Bank BC records third consecutive victory

  • ACCW: First Bank beat Equity in opening game

    ACCW: First Bank beat Equity in opening game

  • Basketball League: First Bank coach attributes win to hardwork

    Basketball League: First Bank coach attributes win to hardwork

     

    First Bank Basketball Club (Elephant Girls) have attributed this year’s win in the Zenith Bank Basketball Club to hard work and dedication.

    The Elephant Girls defeated First Deepwater Basketball Club 84-53 to win their eight title at the 13th edition of the championship, which ended at the weekend in Lagos. Speaking on behalf of the team, one of the assistant coaches, Chris Okoh was full of praises for players and management of the team.

    Okoh noted that the players worked hard and showed that they wanted to win the championship. He also commended them for winning the trophy without dropping a point and assured them that they would become big if they continue to do well.

    “I am sure that we are all happy for the feat we have achieved. We shouted on ourselves during in training and also had cause to quarrel, but we can all see that it was all geared toward retaining our title. Once again, I must commend you all for the efforts,”Okoh added.

    He also commended the owners of the team, First Bank Nigeria PLC for their unflinching support and urged them not to relent on their effort as they look forward to begin preparation for the FIBA Africa Champions Cup for Women after a short break.

    In Saturday’s game, the Elephant Girls dominated a resurgent First Deepwater, who were surprise finalists. The first half of the game ended 45-22 in favour of First Bank. First Deepwater came back stronger in the third quarter with some beautiful display, but the resilient First Bank team made sure of victory in the fourth quarter to win the game 84-53 and take home NI.5 million, while First Deepwater pockets N1.2 million.

    In the third place game, IGP Queens defeated Dolphins 65-63 to pick the bronze and N1million. It was sweet revenge for the police team who had lost their first meeting in the final 66-65. For Dolphins, this was an anti-climax having won all their games enroute the final. They will, however, take solace in the fact that most of their top players who made the team thick in previous season departed to further their career elsewhere.

  • ACCW:First Bank versus FAP: Ahmedu wants aggressive play

    FIRST Bank Basketball Club coach, Peter Ahmedu has told his players to be very aggressive

    in today’s quarter-final game against FAP of Cameroun if they hope to progress to the

    semi-finals of the 22nd FIBA Africa Champions Cup for Women in Maputo, Mozambique.
    The Elephant Girls qualified for the quarter-finals after finishing in second place in

    Group B, with three wins in four games, behind defending champion, Agosto of Angola. The

    Cameroonian team finished third in group A, to set up a clash with Nigeria and FIBA Africa

    Zone Three champions.
    Ahmedu, who took the players through various drills yesterday, noted that there was no room

    for costly errors at this stage of the competition and charged the players to go all out

    for victory in today’s game.
    He also said that the players must play good defence against the Cameroonians, who love

    shooting from the perimeter. “What we need at this stage of the competition is to play

    hard, stay strong and maintain 100 per cent concentration. We canot afford to lose guard

    now as we hope to play in the finals on Sunday.
    “The Cameroonians are a very strong side and we must match their grit if we hope to win

    this tie. I have watched our opponents and I have told my players what they need to do to

    counter their threat,” Ahmedu added.
    FAP’s coach, Francois Enyague was also positive about his team’s chances, predicting a very

    tough game against First Bank.
    “We are ready for the game. It will be tough against a strong and resolute Nigerian team,

    but we will take our chances with the hope of winning the game,” Enyague added.
    The first game today will start by 11:15am between USIU of Kenya and FIBA Zone Three

    representative, Etoile Filante to determine who finishes ninth and tenth.
    The first quarter-final match will involve KPA of Kenya and Agosto at 12:30pm, the second

    will be between A’Politecnica of Mozambique at 15:45pm, GSP Algeria takes on Ferroviario of

    Mozambique, while the First Bank versus FAP, which comes up at 20:15pm, 19:15 pm Nigerian

    time, complete the fixtures.

  • AACW: First Bank Mexican import eyes title

    AACW: First Bank Mexican import eyes title

    AFTER tasting victory at the 2009 edition of the FIBA Africa champions Cup for Women with First Bank Basketball Club, Mexican import  Silva Rodriquez has expressed desire to win the championship with the Nigerian team once again.

    Rodriguez, who joined the Elephant Girls yesterday in Maputo quickly got down to business perfecting her three point shot and bonding with her teammates. She didn’t look tired in training despite several hours of flying to the venue of the championship.

    After training, she stated that her target is to give a good account of herself, expressing hope that her contribution would be good enough to propel her team to victory. “My aim is to win the title here. And I believe the team has the players to achieve that. All we need to do is to play like a team and give our best at all times.

    “It is not going considering calibre of teams and players here, but with a strong mentality we can go all the way. For me, it is a challenge, which I am ready for. The African game is physical so I know what I am in for and I am ready to deliver, “ she added.

    She urged her teammates to give their best and noted that it was a pleasure to work with the team again.

  • First Bank BC names 12 for African championship

    First Bank Basketball Club has released the names of 12 players that will compete at the FIBA Africa Champions Cup for Women in Maputo, Mozambique from November 25 to December 4.
    The list is made up of Adekoya Bilqis, Nwakamma Deborah, Akaraiwe Nkem, Akashili Nkechi and Ukato Magdalene. Others are Odion Tina, Udeaja Chioma, Daniel Bukky, Atosu Upe, Brida Rodriquez (Mexico), Fofana Minata (Cote D’Ivoire) and Nigerian international, Olayinka Sanni who resides in the USA. Another D’Tigress player, Sarah Ogoke who was cleared to be with the team did not make the list.
    Assistant coach of the team, Taiye Adeniyi stated that the players were picked based on their current form and added that the Elephant Girls (First Bank) would finish on the podium at the end of the championship.

    Adeniyi stated that the team resumed training as soon as they arrived from Lome, Togo where they won the FIBA Africa Zone three Championship last month. He also stated that the inclusion of their new acquisition would boost the team’s desire to win a medal in Mozambique.
    “We have been training hard since we came back with the Zone Three trophy in Lome.
    Fofana, Sanni and Rodriquez have been cleared to play for the team. But the bank needs to send them tickets to enable them travel down for the championship,” she added.

    The Nigerian team has won the championship twice, but finished fourth in the last two editions and will hope to win a medal in Mozambique. The team left Nigeria yesterday.
    Other teams that have qualified for the championship are Inter Clube de Luanda (Angola), host Ferroviario de Maputo (Mozambique), Primeiro D’Agosto (Angola), GS Petroliers (Algeria), KPA (Kenya), First Bank (Nigeria), USIU Flames (Kenya), Etoile Filante (Togo), and MB2ALL (Madagascar).

  • First Bank BC begins recruitment

    First Bank BC begins recruitment

    First Bank Basketball Club has began a massive recruitment drive to bring in new players after losing the key players that won the local league last season and finished fourth on the continent at the FIBA Africa Champions Cup for Women in Sfax, Tunisia.

    Coach of the team, Adewunmi Aderemi told SportingLife that the team intends to recruit 10 new players after the screening exercise, which will begin soon, noting that positions where they lack quality players would be given priority.

    He also stated that positions vacated by the players who left the team for greener pastures would be given consideration, while facts have also emerged that one or two players might be recruited from other African countries. Most of the players that would be recruited would come from rival teams in the home league.

    Aderemi stated that the recruitment became necessary to enable the Elephant Girls, as the team is fondly called, become strong again and have the capacity to retain the title it reclaimed last year after missing out for four years.