First Bank crown champion beat ABC 64-55

Nigeria First Bank basketball club Sunday night defeated Abidjan Basket Club, ABC to the 2009 edition of the FIBA Africa Champions Club for Women crown by 64-55 points.

The Nigeria who earned a FIBA Africa wild-card did not drop a game enroute to being crown champion after six years of playing second fiddle to other teams on the continent.

First Bank won the three first three quarters to take the sail off the Ivories with 15-13, 15-09 and 19-17 going into the last quarter with a ten points advantage of 49-39 points.

Efforts by ABC spurred on by Fatoumata Camara who had a double double efforts of 23 points and 12 rebounds the highest by any player on the night could only yield the ABC side a slim 16-15 points win as they could not sustain the pressure mounted by the Nigerian.

First Bank basketball club Mecican-import, Brisa Silva led her team with 17 points and 3 rebounds, team captain, Funmilayo Ojelabi contributed 13 points and 3 rebounds while Mfon Udoka added 11 points and 5 rebounds with Adeola Olanrewaju grabbing 13 rebounds for her side.

First Bank Danielle Green lead role of honours, crown MVP

First Bank basketball club guard, Danielle Green has emerged as the 15th FIBA Africa Champions Club for Women most valuable player (MVP) with overwhelming votes by coaches and journalists.

Green was also named into the competition Top-5 players list, other award winners includes, Club Sportif d'Abidjan, CSA guard, Kani Kouyate who won the competition highest field-goal award and also a place in the Top-5 honours, Desportivo forward, Leia Dongue won the leading rebounder award while First Bank Brisa Silva won the best Three-Point award.

Other players named into the 2009 edition of the continent biggest women club competition award includes, Ana Flavia Azinheira of A"Politecnica basketball club of Mozambique, Rashidat Sadiq of First Bank basketball club and Abidjan Basket Club, ABC center, Fatoumata Camara.

First Bank basketball club received a giant trophy and gold medals, ABC got the silver medal while Desportivo got the bronze medals with the fair-play trophy going to Energie basketball club of Benin Republic.