First Bank retain Zenith Bank Women Basketball title
Defending champions, First Bank Basketball team, yesterday retained the title they won last year after defeating Dolphins in the final in Lagos.
Despite a late rally by Dolphins led by Veronica Charles in the third and fourth quarters of the game, First Bank held on for the 84-66 victory.
In the third place game played between Customs Basketball team and new entrants to the league MFM basketball team, ended 57-49 in favour of the border girls.
The Final Six final match, which event started only on Sunday, was witnessed by a capacity crowd. The two finalists will represent Nigeria in the continental basketball competition.
Speaking before presentation of medals, the Group Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer of Zenith Bank, Peter Amangbo assured the Nigeria Basketball Federation that the organisation will continue to support women basketball in the country.
Amangbo said it was no longer a sponsorship but a partnership that would stay for many more years.
He expressed his happiness on the level of the competition this year despite the fact that it was an abridged league as he extolled the virtues of the late owner of one of the finalists, Dolphins Basketball team, late Wale Aboderin, who died early this year.
“I want to use this opportunity to remember a personal friend of mine and also the owner of Dolphins Women team, Aboderin,” he said.
“We all missed him today and the whole of the basketball family but I am happy that the players and the family are living his dream.
“I want to assure everyone that it is no longer a sponsorship, but a partnership with the NBBF that will last for long.
“I want to appeal to all the players to be more dedicated and focused on their careers and also look up to the future.”