Mark ‘D’ Ball: HotCoal Ballers Upset Kano Pillars, as Mo’ Heat Maintain 100% Win Record
Admin Newshunters
2 min read
By Chinedum Ohanusi
New Abuja-based franchise, Mo’ Heat Basketball Club on Wednesday trounced FCT Hardrockers 79-52 to win their Day 1 game of the Elite Eight round of the 2022 Mark D Ball men’s Basketball Championship, which dunked-off on Wednesday, at the Indoor Sports Hall, located in Package B of the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.
Although many had predicted a closely fought, action packed game, the result was never in doubt, from the tip off to the final buzzer, of the eagerly anticipated Abuja derby, which pitted a physically superior and more experienced Mo Heats side, against the lucid and rapid youngsters of FCT HardRockers, who struggled to no avail, to rediscover their usual fluid team play, all through the game, watched by a sizeable number of spectators in the stands.
HardRockers Head Coach, Emmanuel Odah later blamed the loss on his players, who he accused of naivety and showing players of the opposing side, too much respect, rather than give them a good fight.
The crushing defeat handed FCT Hardrockers was however reinforced by superior play at both uprights, with Bright Osagie top scoring with 15 points for Mo’ Heat, for whom Christopher Ewaoche produced 4 spectacular blocks at the other end, to ensure that Mo Heat maintained their 100 percent win record, after playing a cumulative 17 matches, in the tournament.
Meanwhile, HotCoal Ballers of Abuja, who are competing in an elite championship for the first time, produced the shock result of the day, when edging former Premier League Champions, Kano Pillars 63-57, in the very last fixture.
Captain Saliu Precious and Onyebuchi Nwaiwu led the scoring with 14 points each, in a game that saw Pillars blown away 31-16 by half time.
Whatever Coach Sani Ahmedu told his players at the interval obviously worked wonders, as they cut the deficit to single digit, in the third quarter, which ended 45-37; before going on to level the tie at 53-53 with seven minutes, of the fourth quarter, left on the clock.
It was anyone’s game to win at this point, but HotCoal powered by Captain Saliu Precious, turned on the style to steer the Ballers to a memorable 63-57 win.
In games played earlier, Gombe Bulls recorded an impressive 60-51 victory over Kwara Falcons of Ilorin; while Nigeria Customs needed to dig deep in their come from behind, 70-66 defeat of Delta Force of Asaba.
The Elite 8 continues on Thursday with four eye-catching fixtures, starting from 10am.
