The Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Surulere Lagos, venue of the all important Zenith Bank Women Basketball Final Eight is wearing a new look ahead of the tomorrow’s dunk-off date.
Yesterday, officials of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) were on ground to supervise repair works on the floor as well as cleaning of the entire hall. The meeting where all technical matters concerning the Final Eight are going to be trashed out is scheduled to hold in NBBF Lagos office today.
Already, all the eight teams that qualified for this all important third and final stage of this edition have arrived Lagos waiting for actions to begin. The first and second phase play-off held in Abuja and Asaba respectively.
Defending champions, Dolphins of Lagos are drawn in Group A alongside the IGP Queens, Delta Force and Plateau Rocks. Former champions, First Bank of Lagos, will battle Nigeria Customs Ladies, AHIP Queens of Kano and Benue Princess of Makurdi in Group B.
Basketball aficionados who are looking forward to actions to begin are however looking in the direction of the two Lagos-based teams to reenact their rivalry.
Captain of First Bank, Chioma Udeaja, said who is still reeling from missing out of the trophy dance last year has warned that the Elephant Girls are not only super-charged but in killer mood to reclaim the title from Dolphins.
Having ruled the Nigeria basketball scene for eight years running before they were dethroned, Udeaja stressed that the Elephant Girls can no longer play second fiddle.
The absence of former four-time champions, First Deepwater Queens has sort of narrow the battle to a straight two-way fight between Dolphins and First Bank.
Sponsors of the women’ league, Zenith Bank Plc, who are not leaving anything to chance have assured basketball enthusiasts of quality time at the finals of this year’s edition in line with the promise made by the Group Managing Director of Zenith Bank, Peter Amangbo, during the championship unveiling ceremony at the bank’s head office in Victoria Island.
