Basketball: Ghana suffers defeats to Nigeria and Cote d'Ivoire in FIBA U-16 Zone 3 qualifiers
Ghana's aspirations of progressing to the final round of the FIBA U-16 African qualifiers took a hit on Friday as both their boy's and girls' teams experienced defeats against Nigeria and Cote d'Ivoire respectively.
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The Ghanaian girls faced a crushing defeat at the hands of their Nigerian counterparts, succumbing to a one-sided 73-24 loss at Eden Heights in Accra.
Right from the start, Nigeria displayed their dominance, never allowing the hosts to pose a threat throughout the game. The encounter was a complete mismatch as the Nigerian girls claimed victory in all four quarters.
The Nigerian girls had a remarkable start, swiftly taking an 18-2 lead in the first quarter. Despite an improved performance from the Ghanaian girls in the second quarter, they were unable to bridge the gap, with Nigeria extending their lead to 41-9.
The third quarter also ended in Nigeria's favour, with a significant 52-11 point difference. The girls from Nigeria concluded the match in the fourth quarter, securing a comprehensive victory.
The Nigerian girls' triumph brings them one step closer to the African qualifiers, where they aim to secure a spot in the World Cup.
In the boys' category, the match was a tightly contested affair, as the Ghanaian team narrowly lost 68-65 to Cote d'Ivoire in overtime.
Cote d'Ivoire, who suffered a defeat of their own against Nigeria with a scoreline of 67-38 in the opening match on Thursday, managed to secure a hard-fought victory over Ghana.
These results have put Ghana's chances of progressing in the FIBA U-16 Zone 3 Qualifiers at risk. The teams will need to regroup and strategize for their upcoming matches to revive their hopes of advancing in the tournament.
The final round of the FIBA qualifiers for Africa are slated for Tunisia from July 13-23, 2023.
