By Samuel Akpan in Abeokuta
The Adamawa male basketball team secured a much-needed 52-38 victory over Imo State at the ongoing National Sports Festival, Gateway Games, on Thursday in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
This hard-fought win keeps Adamawa’s hopes alive in the event held at the Alake Sport Centre, Ijeja, Abeokuta.
According to Azi Obinna, Adamawa’s primary perimeter shooter, the team’s determination to win was fueled by their defeat the previous day.
“We had the mentality that if we lost this game, we are out of the festival, so it went down to who wanted it more,” Obinna said.
He attributed the team’s success to their strong defensive game, saying, “That’s why we had to work more on our defensive game, and it gave us the victory.”
Obinna attributed Adamawa’s success partly to Imo State’s lack of endurance, which he noted worked to their advantage.
“Our opponents didn’t have that much endurance, so we used the advantage of our strength, and we kept on fighting till the final second, and we got our victory.”
Interestingly, Obinna, who was born and raised in Adamawa State despite his Eastern heritage, expressed pride in playing for a Northern side.
“I was born and raised in Adamawa state, playing against Imo state is like coming up against any other opponents,” he said. “We played better than them today.”
The Adamawa team dominated all four quarters, winning by 7-16, 12-14, 10-16 and 10-12.
Persecondnews reports that this victory has significantly boosted Adamawa’s chances of advancing in the competition.
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