Nigeria’s MFM Queens Basketball team is facing a challenging start at the 2024 FIBA Africa Women’s Basketball League in Dakar, Senegal.
After two games, they remain winless, highlighting significant struggles in defense and offense.
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In their opener, MFM succumbed to Egyptian giants Al Ahly with a crushing 99-49 defeat. The Nigerian side failed to secure a single quarter, underscoring the dominance of their opponents.
The trend continued in their second match, where home favorites ASC Ville de Dakar secured an 81-50 victory. ASC’s Elisabeth Dabou delivered a stellar performance, recording 19 points, 14 rebounds, and six assists, earning the highest efficiency rating in the tournament so far.
ASC Ville de Dakar head coach Moustapha Gaye was pleased with his team’s commanding performance.
“We aimed to run the scores early and set the pace for the knockout stages. Our defense shut down two of their key players, which was crucial,” he said.
However, Gaye acknowledged areas for improvement ahead of their group decider against Al Ahly.
MFM’s head coach Joy Ochuko attributed their losses to poor defensive play. “We gave up too many easy points and struggled to rebound effectively. Moving forward, we need to contest shots better and play tougher defense,” she said.
Meanwhile, defending champions Alexandria Sporting Club suffered a shock loss to CNSS from the Democratic Republic of Congo, narrowly losing 61-59. CNSS delivered a balanced performance, outscoring ASC in critical moments.
Elsewhere, Friends Basketball Association (FBA) of Côte d’Ivoire pulled off an upset against Rwanda’s APR with a 63-55 victory, led by Sarah Berthé’s 14 points.
Egypt’s Al Ahly extended their dominance, defeating Cameroon’s FAP 89-63 to top Group A.
As the group stages continue, teams are battling fiercely for a spot in the knockout rounds.
