Sports
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.
The championship will run from today to October 12 at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia. On the ground for the championship are athletes from Brazil, Peru, Egypt, Cameroon, Tunisia, Nigeria, Mauritius and Rwanda. They arrived on Sunday.
Some of the other countries were expected in the Abia State capital yesterday. Speaking on the championship, yesterday, Abia State Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Nwobilor Ananaba, said the chief host, Governor Alex Otti, has mobilised facilities and the personnel to ensure a successful event.
Speaking through the Special Assistant to the Governor on Sports, Raymond Chima Ukwa, said: “We have the best mats, playing mats, especially the wheelchair playing mats, which is the first of its kind in West Africa.
“If you go around, you’ll see the hall and the preparation that has been made to ensure that people have an equitable world-class playing field.” Thrilled by Governor Otti’s support for the competition, Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN) President, Francis Orbih, said that, besides making all the necessary arrangements that will ensure a successful hosting of the events, “we will have a Para-Badminton workshop for coaches and players.
“Nigeria is doing well, Abia is doing well, and we want to do better to improve on where we are, which is why all these have been put together by Governor Otti.”
Nigeria’s Flying Eagles began their campaign at the 24th FIFA U20 World Cup with a narrow 1–0 loss to Norway on Monday, despite creating several opportunities to level the game.
Norway took the lead in the 9th minute after being awarded a controversial penalty. The Flying Eagles pressed for an equaliser but were denied two penalty claims in the second half.
Kparobo Arierhi came close in the 47th minute when his shot drifted wide with the goalkeeper beaten, while Tahir Maigana struck the upright in the 63rd minute.
Nasiru Salihu’s rising effort in the 71st minute also went narrowly over the bar, drawing gasps from the crowd.
Seven minutes from time, Maigana again tested Norway with a long-range strike that went just wide as Nigeria continued to pile on the pressure.
Despite their dominance, the Flying Eagles could not find the breakthrough and now turn their attention to Thursday’s clash against Saudi Arabia in their second group match.
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