[FILES] Basketball
Defending champions, First Bank of Lagos will meet Dolphins in the final match of the 14th annual Zenith Bank Basketball League, which ends today at the Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Lagos.
First Bank will attempt to retain the title they are used to winning every year, except two seasons ago when Dolphins broke their stranglehold on the title.
Their presence in the final has given both teams the tickets to represent Nigeria in the 2018 FIBA Africa Women Club Championship.
First Bank proved bookmakers right with a 73 to 44-point win over Nigeria Customs in a game they dominated the whole four quarters 19-14, 18-18, 23-10 and 14-10.
Nkechi Akashili dropped 20 points, seven assists and four rebounds, while Okoro Ifunanya came from the bench to contribute 14 points and five rebounds.
Dolphins overcame their 2017 heartbreak with a commanding 57-44 points win over Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministry.
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Bintu Badmus, who played 32 minutes, contributed 19 points, two assists and nine rebounds to aid her team’s progress.
Fumnanya Ijeh, who was recently invited to the senior women’s team preparing for the FIBA Africa 3×3 Cup of Nations, also shot 10 points and five assists.
Mountain of Fire, who were undone by inexperience, lost out of a possible place in the final and will now face Customs in the third place play off at 12.00 p.m. today, while the final will follow shortly after.
The Group Managing Director of Zenith Bank, Peter Amangbo is expected to be in attendance along with other top dignitaries of the sponsors, while the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), led by Musa Kida, will also be all out to witness the final of this competition.
“We are proud of the progress recorded over the years by Nigerian women in basketball over the years because many of those who made it happen for he country ant continental and global levels are products of this competition,” Amangboi said.
The winner of the tournament will get N1 million, second place will win N500, 000 while the third position will win N250, 000.
Source: G Sport
