MFM, HotCoal Sizzlers stage 3 extra-time thriller at Mark D Ball tourney

Basketball fans were kept at the edge of their seats yesterday at the Indoor sports hall of MKO Abiola national stadium as MFM of Lagos and HotCoal Sizzlers staged a three-extra-time thriller as they fought for victory to stand a chance of reaching the knockout stage of the ongoing Mark D Ball Women’s Basketball championship […]

Basketball fans were kept at the edge of their seats yesterday at the Indoor sports hall of MKO Abiola national stadium as MFM of Lagos and HotCoal Sizzlers staged a three-extra-time thriller as they fought for victory to stand a chance of reaching the knockout stage of the ongoing Mark D Ball Women’s Basketball championship in Abuja.

Tied at 32 points apiece, the highly entertaining contest between favourites MFM and underdogs HotCoal Sizzlers went into extra-time three times before a winner finally emerged.

In the end, the more experienced MFM ladies survive the scare from the rookies as they added 12 more points to win the gruelling encounter 44-36 points.

In other matches played yesterday, Nigerian women basketball heavyweights, Air Warriors made quick work of Taraba Hurricanes 42-17, IGP Queens arrested FCT Angels 42-18, while Nigerian Customs took inexperienced Nasarawa Amazons to the cleaners 54-19.  

Plateau Rocks and Sunshine Angels also recorded victories over Osun Pearls 38-37 and Novena Queens 36-17 respectively.

Meanwhile, players and officials of teams participating in the ongoing Mark D Ball Basketball Women’s Championship have commended the organisers and Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development for putting together what they described as the best basketball tournament in recent times.  

The championship which dunked off last Saturday with 16 teams from the FCT and across the nation is sponsored by basketball enthusiast and NBBF presidential aspirant, Igoche Mark, in a bid to revive domestic basketball.