Sports
Club Vows To Rediscover Form In Basketball League
The Head Coach, First Deepwater Club, Lateef Erinfolami, has vowed that his team will play like the champions at the resumption of the Zenith Bank Women Basketball League in July.
Erinfolami told newsmen in Abuja that his team failed to live up to expectation during the league’s first phase which ended last weekend in Abuja.
The Lagos-based defending champions finished second in the 10-day competition held at the Indoor Sports Hall of the Abuja National Stadium.
“My players didn’t quite rise up to the challenge of being defending champions throughout the duration of this first phase”.
“They did try their best, but things didn’t quite gel as we would have wanted”.
“Perhaps some may say they didn’t give their best, but I feel they still performed well.
It was just that the performance was not quite the best as defending champions,’’ Erinfolami said.
The three-year-old club had dethroned First Bank of Lagos last season after coming second in their first season in the competition in 2009.
They, however, lost 44-60 to their Lagos rivals in their ninth and final game of the first phase of the competition after winning their first eight matches.
The team thus finished second behind First Bank, with 16 points from eight wins in nine matches, two points behind the former champions who won all their nine matches.
The coach, however, attributed their loss and overall performance to a rebuilding process in his team.
“We have a lot of new players, and we have been struggling as a result of this. But I can’t blame the players, because they have never played at this level of the game before.”
“Moreover, they only showed signs of being jittery against First Bank, and this may be because of their opponent’s name, our rivalry or the fact that they are new players,” he said.
Erinfolami said that the players would have overcome that problem by the time the league’s second phase resumes in July in Akure.
“It will be a better First Deepwater on display then, and our match against First Bank will be better than this. The girls would have overcome this problem then,” he said.
The Bayelsa State government, yesterday, announced that the marathon will be held on Saturday, April 4, 2026.
The inaugural race is owned by the Bayelsa State Government and will be organised by Nilayo Sports Management Limited, a sports management company.
Under the theme “The Reveal,” the race represents a bold unveiling of Bayelsa’s immense human and cultural potential to the international community, inviting the world to witness the resilience, grit, and talent rooted in the heart of the Niger Delta.
According to the organisers, the race will be flagged off at 9:30 a.m., at the Opolo Roundabout, guiding participants through a carefully designed 10-kilometre route that highlights the scenic beauty and vibrant atmosphere of Yenagoa.
The course will culminate at Peace Park Square, where athletes will cross the finish line into a grand celebration of endurance, unity, and community spirit.
To elevate the experience for runners and spectators alike, the finish venue will host a high-energy post-race concert featuring performances from top A-list artistes, blending sport and entertainment in a festival-style atmosphere.
The organisers directed all registered participants to collect their race bibs and kits at the designated Peace Park Square between March 30 and April 3, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily.
The race, according to them, is currently on track for World Athletics accreditation, underscoring the commitment of both the Bayelsa State Government and Nilayo Sports Management Limited to delivering an event that meets the highest global standards.
The Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Bukola Olopade, on Friday continued the Commission’s nationwide appreciation tour with a visit to Abeokuta, where outstanding junior athlete, Majekodunmi Afusat Bisola, was presented with a cheque of N3 million.
The presentation forms part of the NSC’s initiative to recognise and reward exceptional junior athletes who distinguished themselves in 2025 and contributed significantly to Nigeria’s medal haul.
Majekodunmi delivered an impressive run of performances on the track. At the last edition of the National Sports Festival, she stormed to gold in the 400m and the 4x400m relay. She replicated the double triumph at the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) Junior Championship, in Abeokuta, before emerging as one of the standout stars at the African Youth Games in Luanda, Angola.
Speaking during the presentation, Olopade explained that the Commission deemed it necessary to extend financial appreciation to grassroots athletes after elite performers had earlier received grants running into thousands of dollars.
“A few weeks ago, after paying grants to our elite athletes, we agreed tthere was a need to also appreciate these young, budding talents who made Nigeria proud last year,” he said.
He disclosed that of the 376 medals recorded by Nigerian athletes in 2025, more than 200 were won by grassroots talents, underscoring the importance of sustained investment in youth development.
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