POSTED BY: Eurobasket News
Thato Kala
Correspondent
Monitor 2/5/2011
Newly assembled Relics Basketball Club started off their season on a high note with a 39-29 win over NIIT Ravens in a Botswana Basketball Association (BBA) Women's League match at the University of Botswana (UB) on Friday night. Relics grabbed an early double-digit lead and finally took full control with a 10-7 run early in the second quarter.
They had gotten off to a dream start in the opening quarter, scoring three baskets before their opponents narrowed the gap to finish the first quarter on 8-6. Aggressive Relics' point-guard Loago Monchusi led her team's scoring while NIIT's Thuto Serati was outstanding for the students. The Relics, who were playing their first game of the season, kept piling on the pressure, but their opponents defended well, often catching them on the counter attack. If there were any doubts about Relics' collective nerve, they dismissed them, running a 16-11 point advantage midway through the second quarter.
However, the students would not allow their rivals to stretch the margin, slowly clawing back into the game when the industrious Serati converted from a free-throw. NIIT went for the breather with the scores reading 16-14. They came back fired up, drawing level for the first time at 21-21 midway through the third quarter. At that stage it proved to be anyone's game, but Relics regained the lead two minutes before the end of the quarter after their point-guard Laone Magogoba connected from just inside the arc to make it 27-23.
Early in the final quarter, Relics killed the game as a contest after Monchusi made quick lay-ups in succession, adding an extra point from the line. They led by five baskets halfway through the fourth quarter. The youthful students responded by raising the tempo of the game, but Relics picked up their defence and showed perseverance at the other end. Relics maintained the five baskets lead until the final whistle. Despite the loss, NIIT coach Peter Ubakar was delighted at his team's performance.
'They played very well, but we need to work on our execution, otherwise our play is fine. We are trying to put together a competitive team and I'm sure if they keep playing together they will end up gelling up as a team,' he said. On the other hand, NIIT captain, Serati, who was exceptional all evening, was not impressed by her team's display. 'It was bad, but we tried our luck.
Hopefully, we will do better in our next game. The league is only starting; so our hope is not lost,' Serati said. NIIT lost their opening match against Panthers 35-46 and will have to start winning games if they entertain any hopes of being crowned champions at the end of the season.
