The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Peter Ahmedu

  • ACCW: Quarter final game will be different – Ahmedu

    First Bank coach, Peter Ahmedu has said the quarter final game against FAP of Cameroun will be different has he hopes to take his team to the latter stages of the FIBA Africa Champions Cup for Women (ACCW), which end on Sunday in Maputo.

    First Bank played like a well-drilled side in the final group B game against INSS, pressing high and doing well in offense to win 83-45. However, Ahmedu has said that he would have to come up with a different approach in Friday’s game so that his team does not become predictable.

    He also stated that the approach at the ACCW is to take each game as they come, noting that it would be difficult to approach all the games the same way. “The quarter final game will be difficult because the competition is getting to the latter stages.

    “Though we are playing a team that finished fourth in group A, it doesn’t mean that the game will be easy. Our opponents are also in Maputo to vie for the trophy, so we are hoping to win and qualify for the semi finals,” Ahmedu added.

    When reminded that the same team fell to his team when they met two years ago also in Mozambique, the D’Tigress assistant coach replied that he wasn’t bothered about the score but the win, which will take his team to the semi finals.

    “I don’t want to talk about score. The most important thing is the win. We are going to change over style a bit because we need to be flexible as we don’t want to give our opponents that we are a one-style team.”

    He also said that his team would have to step up their game so that they can send fear into the heart of their next opponents.

    The Nigerian team captained by Nkechi Akashili will take on FAP at the Pavilhao do Maxaquene 3.30 pm Nigerian time.

  • NBBF sacks D’Tigress coach, Vincent

    The Nigeria Basketball Federation ( NBBF ) has ended its relationship with the Head Coach of the Senior Women’s Basketball team, Sam Vincent.

    NBBF Media Officer, Afolabi Oni, in a statement on Friday said the decision was taken after extensive consultations and assessment of the team’s progress in camp ahead of the 2018 FIBA Women World Cup in Tenerife, Spain.

    A a letter signed by the NBBF President, Engr Musa Kida, said the decision was taken in the best interest of all parties involved and the long term interest of the D’Tigress.

    NBBF stated that the numerous conflicting commitments of the 55-year-old coach had affected his duties as the coach of the women national team.

    It quoted the letter stating in part that, “The NBBF has been monitoring the situation in Atlanta closely and we are not satisfied with a lot of things.

    ”You left the National Women’s Team Camp in Atlanta since Friday July 27, 2018, without permission from anybody and you have continuously remained absent.

    ”Following investigations, the 2017 Afrobasket winning coach was found guilty of abandoning the team due to other conflicting professional engagements within the United States of America where the team is currently camped.

    ”In view of the importance of giving the team the best of preparation for the World Cup as to make a mark in Spain, the NBBF decided it needed a coach who will spend more time in camp preparing the team.

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    “Be informed that you are hereby relieved of your appointment as our National Women’s Coach, to allow you concentrate better on your other activities.”

    The NBBF thanked Vincent for qualifying the team for the World Cup by winning the 2017 Afrobasket Championship in Atlanta and wished him all the best in his future endeavors.

    The board has promised to compensate him for the services rendered while with the team.

    In the meantime, D’Tigress assistant coach, Peter Ahmedu will take charge of team’s preparation for the World Cup to be assisted by Sola Shomala until a new coach is appointed.

  • Afrobasket: NBBF President in Mali to boost D’Tigress morale

    Afrobasket: NBBF President in Mali to boost D’Tigress morale

    Musa Kida, President, Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), has arrived in Mali on Thursday to boost the morale of D’Tigress ahead of their quarter-final match of the 2017 Women Afrobasket Championship on Friday.

    “The NBBF President, Kida, will touch down in Bamako, Mali on Thursday ahead of Friday’s game against Cote d’Ivoire to boost the mood in the camp of the D’Tigress,’’ an NBBF statement said in Abuja on Friday.

    The NBBF President and sports lovers in the country have commended the impressive performance of D’Tigress against their age-long rivals, Senegal, in the match on Wednesday.

    The last Group B match between the two teams ended 54-58 points in favour of Nigeria.

    The statement also said that the team’s Coach, Sam Vincent, as well as the players had reacted to their victory against Senegal in a match dubbed “Final before final’’.

    Vincent said they needed to keep celebrations to the barest minimum ahead of the crunchy quarter-final tie against Cote d’Ivoire that finished fourth in their group.

    It said that Peter Ahmedu, the first Assistant Coach, praised the girls for defying all odds and showing a commendable level of resilience to maintain their lead till the end of the game.

    It attributed the victory to due diligence and scouting reports put together by the technical crew.

    “We were able to study the Senegalese off and on the court. The style we deployed was a different ball game to what they expected and it was very helpful,’’ the statement said.

    It added that Senegal, the defending champions, were under a lot of pressure during the match.

    NAN reports that Senegal did not recover from the debilitating injury inflicted by D’Tigress in the first two quarters that ended 26-34 points in spite of enjoying huge support from their Francophone fans.

    Evelyn Akhator, star player of the match, was not deterred on the night in spite of the massive support for the opponents by a horde of Senegalese fans and by their French speaking hosts Mali.

    The Dallas Wings player led by example with 15 points, 13 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal as the team confirmed it’s superiority over the Senegalese they defeated at the group stage of the 2015 edition.

    Also, Atonye Nyingifa contributed with 8 rebounds, 5 assists and 6 points, Adaora Elonu gave the team 10 points, 4 assists and 5 rebounds.

    Similarly, inspiring Kalu Ezinne, who was all over the court dictating the tempo, helped with 11 points.

    The Nigerian team is expected by fans at home and abroad to return the nation to its days of glory in Women AfroBasket.

  • 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.

  • Coach Peter Ahmedu joins First Bank BC

    Coach Peter Ahmedu joins First Bank BC

    Coach Peter Ahmedu has completed his move to First Bank Basketball Club of Lagos and had his first training session with the team in Cotonou on Saturday where the Elephant Girls are preparing for the Africa Women Champions Cup qualifiers from November 4 to 12.

    The coach, who led Mark Mentors of Abuja to the DSTV Basketball League title this season, would be hoping to deliver the Zone Three title as he begins his reign at the club after the sack of coach Adewunmi Aderemi, who guided the team to 10 league and two African titles.

    The coach could not travel with the team on Thursday, but SportingLife gathered that his arrival in Cotonou brought the camp alive as the players were eager to begin work with him. He  told the players that he would count on them to make his job easier.

    “I am happy to be with the team and I must thank the management of Mark Mentors for giving me the opportunity to work with them.  This is another chapter in my career and I hope I will excel. I will also need the cooperation of everyone at the club to excel.”

    According to his profile on the website of Giant of Africa, “Peter Ahmedu lives, eats and sleeps basketball. He has been involved in Nigerian basketball for over 20 years. He was part of the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders programme as a coach for seven years and is heavily involved in the grassroots level for basketball in Africa.

    “He was the head coach of the Dodan Warriors Basketball Club in Nigeria and has been with Giants of Africa since the beginning as an instructor and is responsible for scouting and discovering young talent for Basketball Without Borders and Giant of Africa basketball camps.”

    Ahmedu has also coached teams outside Nigeria and regularly travels abroad to update his knowledge about the slam and dunk game.