First Bank Basketball Club forward Tobiloba Ogedengbe says the team’s grit, unity, and determination were the key ingredients behind their crucial 58–52 victory over FAP De Yaoundé at the ongoing FIBA Women’s Basketball League Africa.
The win, First Bank’s first of the tournament, keeps their hopes of reaching the knockout phase alive, and Ogedengbe believes it was the result of a collective decision to fight harder.
“We came out tough. We knew we had to play together, and that togetherness was crucial for us today,” she said.
Ogedengbe highlighted how both teams entered the fixture under pressure, each searching for their first win, which made the encounter even more intense than expected.
“It was a must-win for both sides, and that made it a very physical and competitive game. But we stayed calm, stayed focused, and worked for each other,” she added.
The Nigerian side showed improved discipline on both ends of the court, executing defensive rotations better and moving the ball with more purpose on offense. Ogedengbe praised her teammates for responding to the coach’s instructions with maturity.
“Coach prepared us mentally. We knew the plan, and we stuck to it. Everyone contributed, it was a real team performance,” she noted.
With the classification round approaching, First Bank still have a pathway to the knockout stage as one of the best third-placed teams. Ogedengbe believes the team’s belief is growing at the right time.
“We’re going to keep fighting. We still have a chance to make the knockouts, and we believe in ourselves,” she said confidently.
She emphasized that the team must maintain the same intensity and unity moving forward if they are to progress deeper into the tournament.
“This win gives us momentum, but we must stay hungry. We have to take it game by game, stay together, and push even harder,” she added.
The forward ended by expressing gratitude to fans and promising more improvement ahead.
“We appreciate everyone supporting us. We will keep giving everything to represent Nigeria proudly,” she concluded.
