The management of Zenith Bank PLC has applauded the national Women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, for winning the 2023 AfroBasket Championship concluded on Saturday in Rwanda.
Nigeria defeated Senegal 84-74 in a highly thrilling final match of the competition to successfully defend the title and won it for the fourth time in a row.
D’Tigress went into the competition with a back-to-back-to back record and with the victory on Saturday, Nigeria has equaled the four straight wins record of the Senegalese women’s team achieved back in 1970.
Before the final, D’Tigress defeated DR Congo 69-35, beat Egypt, 83-65, pip Mozambique 59-52, and also defeated host, Rwanda, 79-48.
Group Managing Director of Zenith Bank, Ebenezer Onyeagwu, at the weekend stated that the organization was proud of the achievements of D’Tigress.
Onyeagwu added that D’Tigress have over the years demonstrated so much zeal in the completion with some of the players being products of the national women league which the organization has been sponsoring for over 20 years.
“We are not surprised with the victory of D’Tigress, anytime they play, we look forward to receiving the trophy at our office as partners of the Nigeria Basketball Federation for the good of the game,” Onyeagwu said.
“The youthful girls were not given much chance to retain the title but they did in style, beating the host in the semis and the arch rivals, Senegal, in the final. We salute them and look forward to produce more talents for the country. We congratulate the team and the board of the NBBF led by Musa Kida.”
Meanwhile, the working committees of the NBBF has finalised the dates for the 2023 Women’s national league sponsored by Zenith Bank and the competition will take place on home and away bases in conference format.
The first phase is slated to hold between August 21stand 27th simultaneously in Jos and Akure. Jos is venue for Savanah Conference while Akure will host the Atlantic Conference.
In the second phase, Lafia will host the Savannah Conference just as Asaba will host the Atlantic Conference between September 18thand 25th.
The two phases with eight teams in each conference will produce the final four teams that will travel to Lagos by middle of October for the finals.
