Gambia Trip Excites Deepwater’s Players

The decision of the owner of First Deepwater Basketball Club, First Deepwater Discovery Limited, FDDL, to sponsor the reigning champions of the Nigerian Premier league on a relaxation trip to Gambia has been commended by the captain of the team, Nkechi Tracy Akashili.

After the coach Lateef Erinfolami-led team became bact to back champions of the slamming and dunking game in the country at the weekend, Engineer Babatunde Babalola, chairman of FDDL, rewarded the team with a trip to Gambia before the preparation for the FIBA Africa Zone-3 elimination which they will be hosting.

Akashili told P.M Sports on phone yesteday that the players are very happy with the morale boosting trip, adding that the decision cannot come at a better time after their exploits at the just concluded third phase of Zenith Premier League.

“We are very grateful for the kind gesture of our chairman and would always do the club proud both on the local scene and at the continental stage to show appreciation.”

Akashili said they will not rest on their oars but strive harder to remain relevant and ensure that their advent into the Nigerian basketball scene is not a fluke.

First Deepwater became back to back champions of the league last Saturday, inside the Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos after they defeated their arch rival, First Bank, in the last match of the third phase of the league by 65-57 points to claim the title.

They pocketed N1,000,000 for their effort and a continental ticket, second place First Bank basketball club went home with N750,000 and a continental ticket while third place finishers, Sunshine Angels of Akure were rewarded with N500,000.

Meanwhile, chairman of First Deepwater basketball club, Babatunde Babalola, at the weekend donated one tri-cycle each popularly known as Keke NAPEP to two wheelchair basketball players.The players are Ezekiel Lazeez and Peter Osaghale Kelvin

Babalola, who is also a patron of the Nigeria WheelChair Basketball Association, said the gesture is the begining of the club’s contribution to the empowerment of physically challenged people in Nigeria’s sporting circle.

He urged the two beneficiaries to put the tri-cycles into good use and promised to continue to do his best for the country’s basketball.

—Bamidele Olowosagba