Sola Aluko, Coach of Sunshine Angels Basketball Club of Akure, on Sunday said that picking their first win in the Zenith Bank Women’s final eight playoffs was vital to their aspirations.
The Akure side narrowly edged FCT Angels 43-40 in the play-offs at the National Stadium, Lagos.
Aluko told the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos that their victory in the highly competitive play-offs was a morale booster for the challenges ahead of the club.
He said: “We played a very competitive team.
“FCT Angels were tough opponents and pushed us all the way.
“We charged ourselves and rose up to the occasion to destabilise their tight defence and eventually pulled away at the fourth quarter.
“It was a great match that shows the level of competition that one would expect for a major event as this and winning was vital to our title aspirations.”
Meanwhile, Nana Sule, the Captain of FCT Angels, said that the team’s late arrival for the competition had affected their performance in the keenly contested match.
Sule said: “We got into town around 3am and had a little rest before we played in the afternoon.
“We were exhausted from the journey, but we still played well.
“We will do better in our next game.”
In other matches, Dolphins of Lagos overwhelmed Plateau Rocks of Jos 68-42 and Coach Okworogun Ochuko said that the victory was a deserved one.
Ochuko said: “We are here to prove that we are a solid team to reckon with.
“For many years now, it has been First Deep Water and First Bank dominating the scene.
“We are not boasting but we are very confident of our young side and we know we will make an impact and end the competition well.”
Coach Chris Wesley of Plateau Rocks described the loss as a painful one considering the hassles they had to contend with on their way to Lagos.
Wesley said: “We didn’t play hard enough to win the match.
“We were obviously tired from the long distance journey from Plateau to Lagos.
“However, we will work harder in our next match, which is against trophy favourites, First Bank.”
In the other matches that were decided, defending champions, First Deep Water, sank Customs of Lagos 71-34.
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