Nigeria Customs Saturday recorded a thrilling 80-77 points victory over a rescilient Kwara Falcons of Ilorin side to emerge winners of Group C, of the ongoing 2022 Mark ‘D’ Ball Men’s Basketball championship in Abuja.
The result means Nigeria Customs finished the tournament with six wins and a loss from seven games, played, and the team coached by the renowned Scott Nnaji topped the final standings of the eight-team Phase 1, Group C table with 13 points.
While Kwara Falcons who suffered their second loss of the competition, had to settle for third on 12 points, same as FCT Hardrockers of Abuja, who placed 2nd with a superior head-to-head rule. They had defeated the Ilorin Falcons to snatch the advantage on Thursday.
Ironically, the defeats suffered by both Customs and Falcons, were to FCT Hardrockers of Abuja, whose youngsters were in pole position to win the group, but blew that chance after a nail biting 58-59 loss to Plateau Peaks of Jos, earlier on Saturday.
That left the door open for Customs and the Falcons in the final game played on Saturday; and the finalé which started as a ding-dong affair, ended with Nigeria Customs doing enough to win it by just 3 points, to confirm their supremacy.
The more experienced Customs side, won the first quarter 16-13, and extended their lead to 5 points in Q2, which they took 22-20 for a 38-33 scoreline, at halftime.
Kwara Falcons had their work cut out, and they rallied in the last two quarters, to win 19-18, 25-24; but fell short in their quest to upturn the lead built by the Customs.
In other matches decided on Saturday, Suleja BullDogs, defeated Warri-based CAMAC 87-71 to claim the fourth spot with 11 points; while the NSCDC Civil Defenders outdunked bottom of the log Niger Potters 70-61 to edge out Plateau Peaks on the Head-to-Head rule, after both teams finished with 10 points each.
The Jos-based side had to settle for the sixth position and would now have to wait to see if they stand a chance of making it to the round of 16 as best losers.
CAMAC (-71) and Niger Potters (-130) with eight points finished seventh and eight respectively after managing to win only one game each and have thus been automatically eliminated from the competition.
The three-month long championship will resume on Friday, March 4, 2022 with Phase 1, Group B round of matches, involving eight teams.
Five teams each are expected to qualify from each of the three groups for the Round of 16, with the best loser completing the lineup.
Mo’ Heat, Gombe Bulls, Hot Coal Ballers, Nile University Spartans and APA Flames have already qualified from Phase 1 Group A.
They are now joined by Nigeria Customs, FCT Hardrockers, Kwara Falcons, Suleja Bulldogs and Civil Defenders who are the qualified teams from Phase 2 Group C.
