Sports
Funds Won’t Hinder D’Tigress – NBBF
The Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) has stated that the country’s female national team, the D’Tigress, would not suffer paucity of funds, as the team opens camp on February 1 in Serbia for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics qualifier championship taking place in Belgrade, Serbia from February 7 to 9.
The NBBF Vice President, Babs Ogunade, said that the federation is working round the clock to ensure that the players got the required assistance to prepare well for the qualifier.
Ogunade stated that the NBBF has begun arrangements for D’Tigress to commence early preparations in Serbia to enable the team blend well for the championship.
“The foreign-based players invited for the Olympic qualifier are expected to arrive in Serbia February 1 from their base. The federation is fighting hard to ensure that the Nigerian female basketball team gets the 2020 Olympics ticket.
Meanwhile, the NBBF has postponed its Total Division One League tournament.
According to an official memo sent to the participating clubs by the NBBF, the competition earlier fixed for January 20 will now start on the January 29 while the teams and officials will arrive two days before the kick-off.
Organisers said the postponement was due to the clash in date of the Zonal Elimination of the 2020 National Sports Festival (NSF) which will also hold around the same time.
Twenty three teams will be competing for honours and promotion slots to the Premier Division with 14 teams representing the Savannah Conference while 9 teams will battle for glory from the Atlantic Conference at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium in Lagos.
The battle for slots into the Premier Basketball League for the 2020 league season will end on February 10 with four teams gaining promotion into the elite division.
In a statement released by the league, the competition is scheduled to take place from Friday, June 5 to Sunday, June 14, 2026, with six clubs set to battle for the league title at the end of the 2025/26 season.
NWFL Chief Operating Officer, Modupe Shabi, said the choice of Port Harcourt reflects the Rivers State Government’s continued support for women’s football and its successful hosting of the league’s Annual General Assembly last year.
The Super Six tournament will feature the top three teams from Group A and Group B of the regular season competing in a round-robin format, with each club playing five matches over nine days.
Qualified teams for the competition include defending champions Bayelsa Queens, Edo Queens, Rivers Angels, Robo Queens, Nasarawa Amazons, and debutants Abia Angels.
The NWFL Premiership has produced four different winners in the last five editions, with Rivers Angels winning in 2021, Bayelsa Queens claiming the title in 2022 and 2025, Delta Queens triumphing in 2023, and Edo Queens emerging champions in 2024.
The league also urged participating clubs to comply with all competition regulations and directives ahead of the championship. The Super Six will determine Nigeria’s representative for the WAFU-B qualifiers for a place at the 2026 CAF Women’s Champions League and ultimately the 2027 FIFA Women’s Champions Cup.
Teams are expected to arrive on Friday, June 5, when the draw ceremony and pre-match meeting will also take place. Matchdays are scheduled for June 6, 8, 10, 12, and 14, with rest days in between before the tournament concludes with the trophy presentation ceremony.
