Basketball: First Deepwater Retains Zenith Bank Title

The 9th Zenith Bank Women’s Basketball Final 8 Playoffs has ended on Saturday with defending champions, First Deepwater of Lagos retaining the trophy for the fourth consecutive time.

First Deepwater defeated city rivals, Dolphins 82-74 in a keenly contested match played at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Lagos.

Dolphins, debuting in the final 8 Playoffs, had fascinated fans in the semi-finals as they sent off title favourites, First Bank of Lagos.

They, however, succumbed to First Deepwater’s superiority in the dying minutes of the fourth quarter.

Coach Lateef Erinfolami of First Deepwater said, “I am proud of my players, they have proved their quality in winning the trophy for the fourth consecutive time.

“This proves we are a team that can achieve together, and our motivation has always been hard work and the belief we have in ourselves.

“We look forward with confidence to the next challenge which is the continental Afrobasket Club Competition coming up later in the year,” he said.

His Dolphins counterpart, Ochuko Okworogun, said that she was proud of her team because reaching the final was a dream come true.

“I am okay with the second place trophy; we also have a chance to play continental club basketball, this is what we have been yearning for in the past. “There is going to be progress as from today in the history of the club for we are now determined to do well,” she said.

First Bank of Lagos came third after defeating Sunshine of Akure 68-52 in the third place match.

First Deepwater went home with a sum of N1,000,000 for coming first and  Dolphins smiled home with N750,000 for placing second.

Third placed First Bank got N500,000.

A player with First Bank, Evelyn Akhator, won the best rebounder and shot blocker award, while Dolphins’ Nwakamma Amaka won that for the highest scorer with a cash reward of N50,000.

The Most Valuable Player (MVP) award went to Nkechi Akashili, who also received a Samsung Galaxy Tab from Zenith Bank, while the competition’s fair play award went to Dolphins.