FIBA U18 Women’s Afrobasket championship: Cameroon Edge

A gritty encounter it turned out to be, as Nigeria and Cameroon battled for supremacy in Group C. Fans were treated to a display of raw grit and determination, with the intensity never dropping throughout the contest. Eveline Toyounon was the difference-maker, guiding Cameroon to a hard-fought 75-74 overtime win over Nigeria with a sublime, all-round performance of 24 points, 17 rebounds, and 8 assists that put her country back in contention for top spot in the group. The two sides were locked at 67-67 after regulation, forcing extra time. In the extra period, Cameroon leaned on their height advantage to dominate the boards, out-rebounding Nigeria 22 to 29 in overtime alone, and punished them in the paint, outscoring the Nigerians 42-20 in points scored close to the basket. Coach Tsafack Lonteu managed a tight nine-player rotation to keep the Nigerian attack at bay throughout the game. An emotional Toyounon, visibly moved after the final buzzer, said: “This win is important to us, and I’m glad that we made it. The coaches did a wonderful job of keeping us in check to get this win.” For Nigeria, Favour Anari was candid in defeat. “I’m not really happy about the game,” she admitted, “but I know the next game, we’re going to win. We just have to learn from the mistakes that happened tonight.” She remained confident in her side despite the loss: “I still believe in my teammates. Next game is a win for sure.” Asked to pinpoint where things went wrong, Anari didn’t hesitate: “Defense. In the third quarter, we just weren’t playing defense.” Tags: