Nigeria shocked Senegal 58-54 in a highly intense game on Wednesday to go top of Group B and maintain an unbeaten streak at the ongoing FIBA Women’s AfroBasket in Bamako, Mali.
WNBA 2017 Draft pick Evelyn Akhator posted a player-of-the-match performance with 15 points and 13 points to inspire Nigeria to the important victory that takes their count to five.
Ezinne Kalu and Adaora Elonu added 12 and 11 points respectively as Sam Vincent’s side recorded their fifth straight win at the biennial continental competition that has attracted Africa’s top 12 teams.
What a fight!
Congrats to our ladies for reaching the top of the table in Group B.
We march unto the Quarter-finals#AfrobasketWomen2017 pic.twitter.com/bSnYY5nrnE— #NBBF (@nbbfonline) August 23, 2017
After the game, Akhator told FIBA.basketball :”We set a goal that we want to win. We came here for the gold. The more we keep playing, the more confidence we keep getting and the more trust we get amongst us.”
Nigeria will now face their neighbors Cote d’Ivoire in the Quarter-Finals with an eye at the Semi-Finals and the crown eventually.
Cameroon, despite their 69-35 loss to hosts Mali, alongside with Cote d’Ivoire and Tunisia were tied on seven points but the latter was eliminated from the contest on head-to-head rule.
In a repeat of the 2015 Final, Cameroon face yet another massive task when they face a wounded Senegal side that is looking for a record 13th title but most notably to defend their trophy.
In the other face off, unbeaten Angola will be up against Mozambique in the Lusophone derby with the latter looking to cause an upset.
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