Leopards Basketball Club had a slow start in its 44-37 win over Ghana National Fire Service in the Accra Basketball League (ABL) Men’s Division I earlier today at the Prisons Court in Cantonments.
Leopards had issues getting to the court in the first place but managed to shake off the slow start to record an impressive win. Defending ABL Women’s Division Champions Ghana Police Service recorded a 40-34 win over Ghana Army prior to the game.
Match Report
Dennis Dugbenu served as a secondary ball handler alongside Gilbert Wood and turned the extra offensive touches into six straight points for Fire including two jump shots and blocked a shot; Bashiru Moro laid the ball in off an offensive rebound early in the game.
Leopards got its first points in the game on the 7:37mark in the first quarter. Joseph Agger scored four points for Leopards with two points coming off a layup after making a backdoor cut and capitalized off a breakdown in communication on defence from Fire.
He added a three point shot from the top of the key; Dugbenu completed a three point play to give Fire a 12-9 lead
Wood hit a three pointer to open the second quarter. Agger and Michael Atiapah hit three pointers to reduce Leopards deficit to two (15-17) with 2:30 minutes left.
Agger stole the ball off David Laryea to score a layup and tie the game to end the first half. Samuel Kobla and Leslie Kormedodah delivered key blocks for Leopards.
The game was marked by missed shots until Ernest Laryea’s three pointer. Jeremiah Tawiah scored one of two free throws. Agger scored free throws to give Leopards a 22-20 with 2:27 minutes remaining in the quarter.
Clement Tetteh scored an up and under layup. Atiapah and Kormedodah drained three pointers to take a 28-22 third quarter lead.
Fire got the final quarter’s first score but Leopards went on an 8-0 run to take a 36-24 with 7:45 minutes left. Tawiah completed a three point play; Wood and Ernest Laryea buried three pointers.
Fire trailed 32-39 with 4:24 minutes. Dugbenu collected a long pass from Bashiru to score and get Fire to trail 34-39 with 1:26 minutes left in the game. Emmanuel Ocquaye scored a three pointer to cut Fire’s deficit to 37-40.
Nathaniel Killian scored a free throw to bump Leopards to four, made a key block on Laryea’s desperate three pointer and added two free throws to give his side a 44-37 win.
By Yaw Adjei-Mintah
@YawMintYM on Twitter
