Sports
Deepwater Set To Retain Basketball League Title
The defending champi
ons of the Zenith Bank Women Basketball League, First Deepwater Women Basketball Club of Lagos, has in Ilorin moved closer to retaining their title.
They did this by recording their seventh win in their last match in the second phase of the 2013/2014 league, after playing seven matches in Group A of the competition.
In the match played at the Indoor Sports Hall of the Kwara State Stadium, they beat Sunshine Queens of Akure in Ondo State 67-50.
The second phase of the league started last Friday, May 2.
In the match against Sunshine Queens, the Lagos-based team started on a good note in the first quarter, with the quarter ending 12-15 against Sunshine Queens.
They continued their dominance in the second quarter by scoring 22 points while their opponents could garner only 11 points.
In the third quarter, Sunshine Queens had 10 points while the eventual winners scored 14 points.
First Deepwater coach, Lateef Erinfolanmi, told our correspondent after the match that his players performed below expectations in spite of the win.
‘’Everybody wants to go home. They are tired. But thank God we won. We will just go back to Lagos now and rest before we start preparations for the final eight play-offs.
‘’But, it is clear that they (his players) did not play to expectations like they did in the previous matches,’’ Erinfolami said.
Also commenting on the match, Sunshine Queens coach, Shola Aluko, said his players too were not at their best.
‘’In the first half, my players were not themselves, which was not a technical error but probably because of tension.
‘’But they came back into the game in the third quarter which unfortunately was not enough to hold our opponents.
‘’However, there was an improvement in this match, compared to what both teams played in the first phase where they beat us with a margin of almost 30 points. But now we reduced it to 17.
‘’But the truth still remains that my players can do better than what they did this night,’’ Aluko said.
In the other match played in Group B, last season’s runners-up, First Bank, beat Dolphins 61-48 to also record their seventh win in the second phase.
With the results, Firstdeep Water and First Bank won their groups and will be joined by six other clubs for the final eight play-offs in Lagos in June.
The second phase of the league which ended last Friday had started with 16 teams.
Only four teams in each of the two eight-team groups will qualify for the play-offs.
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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