FIBA Zone Three: Pillars face NIGELEC

Idris Adesina

Defending champions of the men’s category of the FIBA Africa Zone Three Club Basketball Championships, Kano Pillars, will seek to maintain their 100 per cent win record against Togo’s NIGELEC on Thursday in Lome, Togo.

The competition, which began on Monday, will end on October 30. There are six men’s teams and three women’s teams battling for the four tickets to represent the zone at the continental club competition in December.

The first two teams in the men and women’s category will represent the zone at the FIBA Africa Club Championship in Egypt and Mozambique respectively. The men’s finals will be held in Egypt while the women’s finals will hold in Mozambique.

The Nigerian champions have won all their games so far in the 2016 edition of the competition. Pillars beat Elain Sportif Club of Benin Republic 90-75 before defeating AS Modele of Togo 82-48. They also defeated fellow Nigerian side Customs 80-60 on Wednesday.

Pillars coach, Ahmed Sanni, said, “They (NIGELEC)  have a lively side, but we need to take our chances and make sure we are also good defensively. No team is a pushover because if you underrate your opponent in this game, you will be beaten.”

Meanwhile, defending champions of the women’s category of the tournament,  First Bank Basketball Club, will also continue their quest to retain their title against STT of Niger Republic.

The three women teams are playing in a round-robin format. First Bank defeated STT 104-38 in the first round before beating Etoile Filante of Togo 74-43 in their second match.