InterClube de Luanda win FIBA Africa Champions Cup for Women 2016, Holmes scoops MVP honours

MAPUTO (FIBA Africa Champions Cup for Women) - InterClube de Luanda on Sunday outscored FIBA Africa Champions Cup Women (ACCW) 2016 hosts Ferroviario de Maputo 67-49 win to become the new continental champions.

Italee Lucas scored 15 of her game-high 26 points from the beyond the arc, Sequoia Holmes and Pauline Akonga combined for 31 points to help InterClube win their fifth ACCW title in seven years.

Anabela Cossa led the Mozambicans with 17 points, but unlike their Semi-Finals display, in which they came up with an uptempo and controlled ball handling, Ferroviario de Maputo were far too sloppy turning the ball over 30 times. 

The Angolans entered the contest on dominant mode, led by as many as 20 points, never trailed and finished the tournament with an impressive 7-0 record. 

Ferroviario, on the other hand, looked helpless despite the tireless support from a majority of a sellout crowd at Pavilaho do Maxaquene in the capital Maputo. After losing to InterClube on Day 1, the hosts finished with a 5-2 mark.

While InterClube improved their status as the most successful ACCW team with five titles, Ferroviario de Maputo failed to win their first continental trophy although they improved from their 3rd-Place accomplished last year in Luanda, Angola. 

Sequoia Holmes was named the ACCW 2016 MVP

Unsurprisingly, Holmes, who was one of InterClube engines, was named the tournament MVP.

She also headlined the All-Tournament team alongside teammate Lucas, Cossa, Leia Dongue (Primeiro D'Agosto) and Mireille Muganza Nyota (GS Petroliers).

ACCW 2016 All-Star Five - from left to right: Mireille Nyota, Leia Dongue, Sequoia Holmes, Italee Lucas and Anabela Cossa.

In the 3rd-Place game, First Bank of Nigeria proved too much for last year's ACCW champions D'Agosto winning 62-54.

ACCW debutant, the tournament revelation team GS Petroliers claimed the 5th-Place after beating Forces Armees et Police (FAP) of Cameroon 62-46, while Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) sealed a comprehensive 67-26 win over A Politecnica to finish in the 7th-Place. 

The Algerian champions returned home with a 4-3 mark, while the Cameroonians finished with a 3-4 record. 

African Champions Cup Women 2016 final standings:
1. InterClube de Luanda (Angola)
2. Ferroviario de Maputo (Mozambique)
3. First Bank (Nigeria)
4. Primeiro D'Agosto (Angola)
5. GS Petroliers (Algeria)
6. Forces Armees et Police FAP (Cameroon)
7. Kenya Ports Authority KPA (Kenya)
8. A Politecnica (Mozambique)
9. United States International University (Kenya)
10. Etoile Filantes (Togo)

FIBA