Ghana Police Service has recorded a win in the opening game of the 2021 Accra Basketball League (ABL) Women’s Division Playoffs Series to get a step closer to make another finals appearance.
Defending League Champions Police beat strong rival Braves of Customs 48-40 earlier today at the Prisons Court in Cantonments in Accra in the best of three game series.
The two teams played a pulsating series in the 2019 League Finals but today’s game failed to match the level of quality and intensity shown by the pair two years ago. The 2020 Season was lost to the COVID 19 pandemic.
Match Report
Police held a 10-4 first quarter lead. Police’s Sadat Balkisu scored first in the second quarter with Braves getting a three pointer from Vanessa Macaire in response. Grace Matilda Doe hit a three pointer from the corner after Mavis Martey scored a layup for Police.
Georgina Ntow scored on a fast break to give Police a 16-8 lead with 6:55 minutes remaining in the quarter. Ntow assisted Martey for a layup and Christiana Ayebeng rewarded Ntow by assisting on the former’s layup.
Ntow drained a jumper on the immediate possession after Gloria Gyampoh’s three pointer with 3:21 minutes remaining; Police led 22-13. Balkisu got six more points including the final basket of the first half off a jump shot to give Police a 30-14 lead.
Afia Kobi Yeboah scored a three pointer in a 5-0 start for Braves. 12 ended Braves scoring run after grabbing an offensive rebound and finishing strongly inside the paint.
Gyampoh drained a three pointer as Braves trailed 24-33 with 5:07 minutes left to play. Gyampoh hit a three pointer and assisted Yeboah’s layup. Police offensive threats Balkisu and Ntow combined for a beautiful layup. Police led 39-31 heading to the final quarter.
Braves got off to a hot 7-2 start in the final quarter with Yeboah scoring a three pointer to close the deficit to four points 37-41. Ntow produced the quarter’s highlight moment with a big block on Gyampoh.
Police responded with points on fast breaks to establish a 10 point lead (47-37) with 2:13 minutes remaining. Braves got a late three pointer from Macaire and Ayebeng scored a free throw to end the game 48-40.
By Yaw Adjei-Mintah
@YawMintYM on Twitter
