GB get off to winning start in Sheffield

Great Britain's women's basketball team scored an impressive 74-57 victory over Angola as they got the Game On 2012 tournament under way in Sheffield to continue their Olympic preparations.

Tom Maher's side started strongly and never looked back against an Angola side who looked overwhelmed for long stretches of the game.

Natalie Stafford led Britain with 14 points, while Jeneya Wade-Fray added 13 and Jo Leedham 12.

Britain got off to a flying start after Temi Fagbenle got the first points in the opening seconds. Stafford made it 8-0 before the first time-out, and when she sank a three-pointer with six minutes gone, it took her personal tally to nine points with the score 13-3.

Azania Stewart's first basket of the game had Britain leading 20-10 at the end of the first quarter, and although Angola did a better job of keeping pace in the second quarter, the lead was never less than eight, with Wade-Fray's lay-up making it 39-28 on the buzzer.

Britain started the second half strongly as well, with Leedham taking her personal tally to 10 with a jump-shot that made it 46-32 in the early going.

When Stewart made a lay-up with two minutes to go in the third quarter she stretched the lead to 16, the biggest yet, 53-37, but Britain only continued to pull away down the stretch.

In the fourth quarter, an 13-1 run capped by two free throws from Wade-Fray made it 70-45.

Angola rallied with late three-pointers from Sonia Guadalupe and Astrida Vicente, but it did not take the gloss off a comfortable British win.

Nadir Manuel impressed for Angola with 11 points and 13 rebounds.