YAOUNDE (AfroBasket Women 2015) Cameroon sealed a significant victory in Day 2 of AfroBasket Women 2015 Group A, beating title contenders Mali 44-43 at Palace de Deporte in Yaounde, Cameroon, on Friday.
Ramses Lonlack, the only Cameroonian to score in double digits, finished with a game-high 12 points, while Miesha Blackshear came off the bench to produce the play of the game.
Stats Don't Lie: It’s not clear why coach Amara Traore drew a three-point play in the final seconds of the game given that Mali struggled for most of the contest, making only 1 of 12 three-point attempts. Had Mali driven to the basket, in that last possession, quite probably the outcome of the game could have been different.
Mali did not move the ball (five assist), and as result ended up making only 14 of 60 field-goal shooting (23 percent).
Game Hero: Blackshear, who finished with two points and one assist off the bench, had a modest performance, but the became the game-changer.
Bottom Line: Although Cameroon remain undefeated in two games they continue to turn the ball over more than 20 times per game. Coach Alain Zedong’s team needs to readjust in order to keep their title aspirations alive for longer. Local fans almost sold-out the Palace de Deportes and the team appeared somehow comfortable unlike their first game against Mozambique. Mali’s ace Naignouma Coulibaly appeared to be experiencing some discomfort as she finished with one point and ten rebounds in 23:06 minutes.