3rd April, 2013
Reigning champions, First Deepwater Basketball Club and former champions, First Bank of Lagos won their respective groups to emerge champions at the just concluded first phase of Zenith Bank Women’s Basketball League in Abuja.
With an average of 73.85 points per game, coach Lateef Erinfolami-led Deepwater emerged winners of Group A that included teams such as Sunshine Angels, Nigeria Customs, FCT Angels, AHIP Queens, Coal City Queens, GT-2000 and Taraba Hurricanes.
Deepwater made a point as the most defensive side at the weeklong tourney as they remain unbeaten in all the seven matches played. They scored 517 points and conceded 207 points.
Coach Adewunmi Aderemi tutored First Bank led in overall scoring with a total of 533 points to join Deepwater as the other team that did not lose a game in Abuja. But the former champions who out-dunked teams such as Dolphins, Delta Force, Nigeria Immigrations, Plateau Rocks, Benue Queens, Oluyole Babes and IGP Queens, conceded 275 points to finish behind the reigning champions on the cumulative table.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of the tourney in Abuja, coach Erinfolami, who was one time captain of Nigeria senior men’s team, said his team will continue to strive to maintain their hold on the Nigerian league for them to equal First Bank’s record of ten-year reign (2001-2010).
“Our fans should not lose sleep on the margin we recorded in some of our games during the first phase, but should look forward to a better performance in the second phase coming up in Asaba and the play-off in Lagos,” he said.
First Bank coach, Aderemi said he is not satisfied with the performance of his players, as they only displayed 30 per cent of their ability, adding that he would be looking forward to them exploding in Asaba.
“I will give my girls 30 per cent for their performance in the first phase. We defeated all the teams in the group but we are still not at our best. We cannot rest on oars now because there are still many games to play,” he said. Aderemi is aware of the threat posed by his team’s biggest rival, First Deepwater, but stated that playing them in the final eight playoff could be an advantage. “I think it would be good if the two teams meet at the playoff.
“What both teams are doing now is watching each other’s games and planning for what might be the title decider,” he said.
—Bamidele Olowosagba