False start for Equity Bank at Fiba Championships

What you need to know:

  • The introduction of Seline Okumu for Akinyi with four minutes to the end of the first quarter saw her make four quick points to ensure the scores stood at 17-10 at the end of the first quarter
  • The hosts stepped up in the third quarter showing their class and the Zone V champions cracked both on offense and defence to lose 22-07
  • Mucauro scored a game high 16 points to lead the scoring for Ferroviario who also had Anna Jamie and Odelia Eusebia Mafanela score 12 and eight points respectively

IN MAPUTO

Kenya's Equity Bank put up a spirited fight in their opening Group "A" match at this year's Fiba Africa Women Club Championships but it was not good enough as hosts Ferroviario Maputo emerged 68-45 winners in Maputo on Saturday night.

The Bankers, who had Equity Bank men's coach Carey Odhiambo leading them following the unavailability of David Maina due to work commitments, kept the game close especially in the first two quarters as they ensured their opponents did not take a double digit lead at this game which tipped off at 7.40pm Kenyan time.

Odhiambo named Samba Mjomba, Hilda Indasi, Susan Akinyi, Belinda Okoth and Betty Kananu in his starting line-up but his charges took time to settle allowing their opponents led by captain Mucauro Ingvild, Annie Jamie, Annabel Adriana-Kosa and Cierra Robertson-Warren to race to an early 9-3 lead.

The introduction of Seline Okumu for Akinyi with four minutes to the end of the first quarter saw her make four quick points to ensure the scores stood at 17-10 at the end of the first quarter.

Coach Odhiambo finally got the team chemistry right when he paraded a starting five of Mjomba, Indasi, Kananu, Okumu and Okoth in the second quarter, with the visitors turning in an improved display to narrowly lose 12-10 with Okumu shooting from all angles. Ferroviario led 29-20 at the break.

The hosts stepped up in the third quarter showing their class and the Zone V champions cracked both on offense and defence to lose 22-07. With the score line reading 54-29 at the end of the third quarter, the contest was over. However the Banker picked themselves up in the fourth quarter to lose respectably 14-13 but the damage had already been done as Ferroviario won 68-45.

Equity Bank must now beat Forces Armed Police (F.A.P) from Cameroon in their second match on Monday to boost their chances of making it to the knockout stages in this tough Group "A".

Mucauro scored a game high 16 points to lead the scoring for Ferroviario who also had Anna Jamie and Odelia Eusebia Mafanela score 12 and eight points respectively. Betty Kananu was Equity Bank's top scorer with 14 points while Okumu and Okoth had seven points each.

In another Group "A" match played earlier at the same venue, Forces Armed Police (F.A.P) from Cameroon went down fighting 74-66 against former champions Inter Club of Angola in an entertaining encounter. First Bank of Nigeria, who played without three key players still stuck in Europe due to poor whether conditions, saw off MB2All 74-40.

MONDAY FIXTURES

12.15 pm - Lakers (Zimbabwe) vs First Bank (Nigeria)
14.30pm - Equity Bank (Kenya) vs F.A.P(Cameroon)
16.45pm - I.N.S.S (RDC) vs KPA (Kenya)
19.00pm - V-club (RDC) vs Ferroviario (Mozambique)