Comets, Warriors book final final ticket

The Stallion Boys as the Emmanuel Okolo tutored Union Bank team is also known allowed ego to becloud its sense of reasoning failing to note that the game of basketball is not about how many star players you parade but how well to manage success which was its greatest undoing as the duo of 2003 premier league champions, Ebun Comets and Dodan Warriors basketball clubs take their turn to handed down the bitter pill of defeat to them.

On the day one of the playoffs it was a youthful Comets side coached by former national team tactician, Ayo 'Waka' Bakare who showed the Stallion Boys that victories is fought for and claimed on the playing court rather than wishful thinking.

The Comets side which can only boast of the two quality experience players, Baba Jibril and Rasheed Bello led 18-17 in the opening quarter but went down to the bankers in the second which ended 20-09 for a half-time scoreline of 37-27.

On resumption of play in the third quarter Union Bank failed to read the hand writing on the 'court floor' that their 10 points first half margin was gradually being reduced by the more determined Comets players with beautiful ball handling by its youthful point guards, Mike Ohiero and Orseer Ikyaator who is one of the players to the national U-18 camping currently in camp for the battle of Durban, the quarter ended 18015 points in favour of Comets, the fourth quarter was more dramatic as the Comets bench introduced zone style of play which did the magic for them as the technical crew of the Union Bank could not find answer to the offensive and defensive of the Comets as Ikyaator again rose to tie the again at 65 points apiece from the free throw line.

Sensing that coach and his Union Bank crew did not find answer to its zone style of play the Comets crew decided to maintain such in the five minutes over-time to pick a valuable win of 78-76 points thus signalling its readiness to go far in the playoff as it added hard fighting Dodan Warriors who had also pick a win at the expense of former champion, Lagos Islanders basketball club 71-68 (17-12); (25-17); (17-21) and (12-18). Beating the Warriors by 71-64 points of 18-15, 14-18, 21-15 and 18-16.

The Comets rounded off its conference playoff campaign with a lack lustre performance with a 47-43 points win over bitter rivals, Islanders why Warriors put paid to the fabulous ambition of Union Bank who was a one win one lose with the Warriors after it defeated Islanders 79-62 on day-two of the playoff.

Union Bank looked good to win the all important encounter after leading by as much as seven points in the opening quarter which ended 23-16, surrendered the second quarter to the never-say-die boys of Col. Sam Ahmedu (Rtd) who was in far away Burkina Faso for the Fiba Africa congress taking place in the small West Africa country, the quarter ended 23-14 in favour of the Warriors with just two points separating them and the former Vmobile/NBBF Challenge winner.

Warriors soon gained more points in the third and fourth quarters to snashed victory from the jaw of Union Bank who were favoured to lead the conference onslaught against the two teams that will emerged from the Savannah conference this weekend but all that has gone with the wind.

All The Results:

Day-1

Ebun Comets 78

Union Bank 76 O/T

Dodan Warriors 70

Lagos Islanders 68

Day-2

Ebun Comets 71

Dodan Warriors 64

Union Bank 79

Lagos Islanders 62

Day-3

Ebun Comets 47

Lagos Islanders 43

Dodan Warriors 80

Union Bank 79

Standing:

Ebun Comets 6pt Q

Dodan Warriors 5pt Q

Union Bank 4pt

Lagos Islanders 3pt