CAIRO (Egypt) - The last four places in the 2025 Women's Basketball League Africa (WBLA) were decided on Thursday with two Classification Round games played. In the 9th to 10th game, Cameroon's Forces Armées et Police Basketball (FAP) got the better of First Bank of Nigeria in yet another low scoring encounter to finish ninth while Cote d'Ivoire's Friend's Basketball Association (FBA) defeated debutants Bravehearts of Malawi for 11th place. Find below a look back at the day's action from the two games;
Damaris Emedie powers FAP to victory
A championship-leading 21 rebounds for eighteen-year old Damaris Emedie, who completed a double-double with 13 points, led FAP's revenge victory against returning First Bank in a 48-42 outcome. The game, a repeat of the sides' final group phase clash played on Tuesday for a 58-52 result, saw the Ange Majolie Lonteu-led side turn the tables on the two-time African champions, back after a six-year absence, to win by a similar margin. Emedie, on the floor for the better part of the game, shot 6-for-17 on two-point field goals adding one free throw, adding 5 blocks and 2 assists to finish with 27 in efficiency rating. Raissa Mogoun's 6-for-10 shooting on the floor, with additional 2 points from the free throw line had her finish as the top scorer with 14. Nkem Akaraiwe.
Nigerian International, Idubamo Beggi, after defeating her home side, said: "This was a gritty game because we had played them before. We came in with the mentality that we can't let them beat us twice, so this was pretty much a revenge game. It was not a great game for me but I am happy that my teammates showed out and I got a few assists and rebounds. We leave with a lot of lessons especially on playing smarter as basketball is not just about speed and physicality and we will be better in the next championship."
FBA beat Bravehearts to 11th place
Ivorians FBA, on their second cameo in the continental showpiece, faltered in their quest to improve on their fifth-place finish on debut last year, finishing 11th. The side picked a 72-54 victory in their final game at the Prince Abdallah Al Faisal Sports Hall, beating debutants Bravehearts for a 1-3 show as the latter exit winless. Malian international Djeneba Sangare led the side's offense, finishing with 29 points off a 10-for 27 shooting from the floo, including 3-for-15 from behind the arc, while adding all her six free throws to ensure victory for the Lemou Benga-coached side. Her performance was complimented by American forward Zykera Rice who closed the competition on a high, dropping her first double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds, scoring 9 from the charity stripe. Saran Diakite was the other player to score in double digits, finishing with 13. Zykera Rice, speaking after the victory, said: "I think all the turnovers we forced were the highlight of the game today. It has been a new experience playing in the continent for the first time. It is very competitive and every team is very physical, which was new for me, and in the beginning it was hard to get into a groove and the fouls were not really helpful." She added: "As we continued to mesh as a team, they did a good job finding me in spots where I was able to shoot the shot I normally make and that helped us. In the other games I didn't do so great in rebounding but today I really tried to focus on that and I think the double-double shows the efforts."
FIBA