The visitors stole the show on the opening day of the Women’s Basketball League Africa (WBLA) Zone 3 qualifiers in Abidjan, as First Bank of Nigeria stunned home favourites CSA of Côte d’Ivoire 66–55, while host team Friends Basketball Association (FBA) fell 63–56 to Beninese champions Energie.
First Bank Leave It Late to Subdue CSA
The Elephant Girls, as First Bank are fondly called, started slowly but finished with authority to seal a significant win over last season’s vice-champions of Côte d’Ivoire.
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Despite trailing for much of the game, the Nigerians staged a late comeback, with Wandoo Hembam’s crucial three-pointer giving them the lead for only the second time—just 3:50 left in the fourth quarter.
That basket sparked a dominant finish for First Bank, who powered through the final period with a commanding 30–12 run.
Prior to that surge, they had lost the first quarter 16–9, won the second 14–13, and went into halftime trailing by seven. CSA edged the third quarter 14–13, but the Nigerian champions delivered their best when it mattered most.
Hembam was outstanding, posting a game-high 24 points, 3 rebounds and 4 assists with an efficiency rating of 22. Momoluwa Tewogbade added 13 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists in just under 18 minutes of action. With only nine players available, coaches Julie Negedu and Seun Akinwale were forced to rotate cautiously but still guided their side to an impressive win.
For CSA, Hanna Amani and Ndeye Sene each scored 11 points, though their contributions were not enough to keep the Ivorians ahead. Head coach Aboulaye Lucien Coulibaly will now look to regroup ahead of their next outing.
Energie Shock Hosts FBA
The second game of the day delivered another upset, as Energie of Benin outlasted hosts FBA 63–56 in front of a lively crowd at the Palais des Sports de Treichville. Despite the loss, fans witnessed a highly entertaining contest marked by seven lead changes.
Energie opened with an 18–16 first-quarter lead but faltered in the second, losing 22–12 as FBA grabbed control of the game. The momentum shifted dramatically after the break, with Energie dominating the third quarter 16–5 and maintaining their composure in the fourth to seal a 17–13 finish.
Nassarat Arouna Mama delivered a stellar double-double—17 points, 15 rebounds and 2 assists—to lead Energie, while Bintou Traoré added 17 points and 8 rebounds.
Aku Afetse contributed 10 points and 4 rebounds, and Veronica Keita impressed defensively with 12 rebounds and 2 assists despite scoring just 8 points.
Head coach Oswald Quenum’s scouting of last year’s Liberian champions proved decisive, with Energie executing their game plan to perfection.
For FBA, Djeneba Sangare led all scorers with 19 points and 4 rebounds, while Priscilia Amalabian chipped in 10 points and 6 rebounds. However, the hosts’ 19 turnovers—compared to Energie’s 18—and a significant rebounding deficit (49 to 64) proved costly.
Both results set the tone for what promises to be an unpredictable and fiercely contested WBLA Zone 3 qualifying campaign in Abidjan.
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