The 2024 edition of the Federation of International Basketball Association (FIBA) Africa Zone-3 Women’s Basketball Africa League climaxed over the weekend with Ivory Coast’s side Friends Basketball Club emerging as champions.
The Ivorian outfit defeated Nigeria’s champions Mountain of Fire and Miracle (MFM) basketball club 62-57 points in the grand finale, while Benin’s Champions Energie Basketball Club lost the 3rd place final to Customs of Nigeria by 61-43 points.
The competition was hosted in Liberia at the Samuel KD Basketball gym in Paynesville City with seven clubs including two Liberian clubs, Commissioners and Invincible Eleven women’s team.
The competition was held from November 5-10th. At the climax of the tournament, the President of the Liberia Basketball Association, Abraham Samukai, praised the government of Liberia, basketball stakeholders and Executive Committee members of the federation for a job well done in hosting such an international Basketball tournament.
The LBA President said with togetherness, he can take Liberian basketball to another level. “What our people are seeing now is just the beginning of many positive things that are about to make basketball under my watch a worthy sport in this country”.
“I am not surprised because these are things my team and I were prepared for over the years, the LBA boss narrated”.
Also speaking to journalists at the end of the tournament, Deputy Sports Minister Andy Quamie said the successful hosting of the tournament indicates Liberia has won despite its representatives’ poor performance during the competition.
He said despite coming from a footballing background, he is open to working with every sporting federation and association. “I can’t deny the fact that I came from a football background but I represent all 34 sporting federations and associations in the country as deputy sports minister”.
“It will interest you to note that I have been meeting with basketball and Chess federation officials and now planning another meeting with Amputee federation to help settle their disputes because of my role, Minister Quamie said”.
