By: Nana Kwame Bediako
The grand finale of the Africa Basketball Festival came to a close on Sunday, December 17, 2023, when defending champions Ghana took on their international opponent, the USA, in a breathtaking final that saw Ghana retain their trophy with a 48-33 victory.
The two teams never disappointed with their energetic drive and skills on the court.
The baskets were rattling on both ends as both teams gave a good account of themselves by giving the fans an end-to-end display on the court.
The combination of Benjamin Junior and James Akoto was not to be discounted as they broke down the territory of Team USA in the third quarter to the lead USA, 29–26, with some fast breaks and threes, notably from Benjamin Jnr. who was in the number 3 shirt.
The likes of Issiah Kennedy, Joshua and Daniels couldn’t hold the pressure as they gradually fell off along the line, allowing the Ghanaian boys to gain momentum. It took Pius off the bench for Team USA to get them back into the game, but that wasn’t enough.
Team Ghana head coach, Albert Sackey, promised to deliver and retain the trophy before the match, and he did that commendably so.
