Cameroon forward Benoit Mbala said Cameroon will bank on teamwork as they clash with the D’Tigers of Nigeria in their quarter final match of the Afro Basketball.
Cameroon finished second behind Tunisia in Group C, while Nigeria came top of Group D winning two matches and losing one.
Nigeria defeated Cote d’Ivoire 78-77 in an intense encounter, thrashed Mali 90-67 before losing 77-83 against DR Congo. The Lions of Cameroon also won two games losing one in the group stages. They crushed Guinea 96-54, played 81-77 points against Rwanda before losing 51-68 against Tunisia.
Mbala while speaking in an interview said that ”We know Nigeria has experience and would want to give it everything in the quarter final because they are the reigning champions but one thing we have always banked on is teamwork and this we will still project to give us victory”.
Mbala has an average of 18.3 points per game behind Nigeria’s Ike Diogu with 22.3 points.
Both sides have met four times, winning and losing two games each.
Earlier ex-D’Tigers players had shared tips on how Nigeria could retain the title. They advised the D’Tigers to concentrate more and work on their defense, steals, avoid unnecessary fouls and work more as a team when they play Cameroon in the quarter final.
Nigeria won the last competition in Tunisia beating Angola 74-65 in the final match of the 2015 edition and would be looking to repeat the feat.