19th June, 2013
With less than two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter and the score tied 66-66, First Deepwater Basketball Club of Lagos dug deep to overcome their opponents, Dolphins club of Lagos 82-74 in the final of the Nigeria Women’s Basketball League held at the weekend.
That had been the hallmark of Deepwater since they debuted in the Nigerian Basketball League in 2008.
Coached by Lateef Erinfolami, a former national men’s team player and owned by First Deepwater Discovery Limited, headed by Engineer Babatunde Babalola, Deepwater came from behind to dethrone former champions, First Bank, to win the league title every year since the summer of 2009.
A feat that had rescinded clubs like former multiple champions, First Bank of Lagos, Sunshine Angels of Akure, Customs of Lagos and the Nigeria Immigration teams to the background.
To get to the final of this year’s edition of the league, the coach Erinfolami tutored-side maintained an unbeaten run in the first and second phases of the league held in Abuja and Asaba, Delta State respectively.
That feat qualified Deepwater for the final 8 playoffs that was held from 3-15 June, in Lagos.
Playing against hard fighting teams like IGP Queens, Plateau Rocks, FCT Angels and Coal City Queens, the defending champions were undefeated in the playoffs, contrary to critics’ stand that the final eight playoffs would pose stiffer challenge to the team.
In the semi-final, Deepwater out dunked Sunshine Angels by 80-46 points, a team that finished second in group-B, while First Bank, surprisingly, lost against Dolphins 58-62 in the second semi-final.
Deepwater led by their guard, Magdalene Ukato, dominated play right from the first jump ball to run into a 24-12 lead over Dolphins in the first quarter.
The second and third quarter belonged to the Dolphins team, marshalled by their enterprising captain, Funmilola Akintan, they led in both quarters to keep scores close 55-52 points going into the last quarter.
But with inspiration coming from the Deepwater’s supporters inside the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium,Surulere Lagos, southwest, Nigeria, the three time defending champions of the league relied on their wealth of experience to overcome Dolphins’challenge in the last few seconds of the fourth quarter winning 82-74 points and became champions for the fourth successive season.
The two finalists, Deepwater and Dolphing will represent Nigeria at the African Club Championship holding later in the year.
—Bamidele Olowosagba