Ayaba Emmanuella, a key player for Team Delta, shared her thoughts following their 46-36 victory over Team Niger, which secured their place in the finals of the Milo School Basketball Championship at the National Stadium, Surulere.
Emmanuella described the competition as stressful and more challenging than expected, contrasting it with their easier conference games.
Despite the fatigue and stress from their accommodations, she expressed gratitude for their win.
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“The game has been stressful. We did not expect it to be this stressful, the way we played in our conference. It was very easy, but reaching here we didn’t know they were this ready for us. We give God all glory that we won.” She told Sports 247.
Having faced Team Lagos multiple times, Emmanuella acknowledged the difficulty of their previous encounters.
Delta defeated Lagos in the Southern Cup finals but lost to them in the first game of the current competition.
She is optimistic about their chances in the final, aiming to replicate their previous success by overcoming the stress that affected their earlier performance.
“You should expect us to win. And we are promising ourselves also, to do well the way we did in our conference, winning them with 11 points, and we’re expecting to win them again.
We lost the game because of stress, but we won’t blame it on stress. We didn’t play very well, but we’re hoping to play very well on Friday.”
Reviewing the semi-final against Team Niger, Emmanuella noted that although they were initially apprehensive about Niger’s speed and three-point shooting, they adapted quickly and played to their full potential.
She pointed out the importance of entering the final against Lagos with confidence and avoiding mistakes to secure victory.
Ayaba Emmanuella concluded by encouraging her teammates and fellow basketball players to stay strong, confident, and disciplined, ensuring that they continue to strive for success.
As Team Delta prepares for the final on Friday, they remain determined to deliver a strong performance and secure the championship title.
