30th April, 2012
Coach Lateef Erinfolami of First Deepwater was excited over the weekend after his team brighten their chances to win the Nigerian Women’s Basketball League title for the third consecutive year.
They outdunked their arch-rivals and former champions, First Bank Club of Lagos 69-63 points at the University of Ilorin basketball Court.
Erinfolami, a former national player, attributed his side’s victory over First Bank for the second time this season to dedication and total commitment of his players.
He added that their target is to remain undefeated throughout the season.
He said: “I’m really happy with the victory we recorded against First Bank, but our job is not done yet. We still have more games to play and the last phase of the league is yet to be played.
“Our target is to ensure we don’t lose any match in this phase and ultimately, throughout the season.”
Erinfolami said his duty now is to ensure his players do not become complacent about their remaining matches. He said winning all their matches this season does not guarantee that they can’t lose their remaining matches.
“The task of our coaching crew now is to ensure that all our girls are fit for the remaining matches and for the third phase of the league slated for Lagos next month.
“They have participated in so many matches lately. Some of them also played at the West Africa University Games, WAUG, held in Ilorin recently.”
Erinfolami said that the team will be fortified ahead of their continental Club engagement later in the year, stressing that their focus is to win the title having failed to do so last season.
“We intend to bring in some experienced players within and outside the country to strengthen our team for the continental challenges.
“This will also include a planned training camp abroad for us to prepare a solid team for the FIBA-Africa Club championship,” added Erinfolami.
Coach of First Bank, Adewunmi Aderemi, in his remarks after their defeat to Deepwater, said his players put in their best but lost to a better side.
Commenting on their back-to-back defeat to Deepwater this season, Aderemi said his players’ failure to maintain their early lead in the match, coupled with some wrong calls by the match officials accounted for their defeat.
He said they are still hopeful on snatching the league title from Deepwater at the last phase of the league in Lagos, reiterating: “We won’t allow the defeat affect our ambition to win the league title in as much as there are still more matches to play. We won’t give up so easily!”