Zenith B’ball l Final 8:  MFM Claim First Win, Blow out Black Gold

Zenith B’ball l Final 8:  MFM Claim First Win, Blow out Black Gold

Lagos-based MFM claimed their first victory at the Zenith Women’s Basketball League  National Final 8 on Sunday with a 97-31 blowout of Black Gold at Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Lagos.

Both teams went into Sunday’s game winless in their first two games, but MFM were far too strong for the newly formed Black Gold. The Lagos club, sponsored by the Mountain of Fire and Miracle Church, won all the four quarters comfortably.

MFM had lost their opening game of the Final 8 by 71-46 to Air Warriors on Friday and followed up with another 56-61 defeat to Dolphins on Day 2 on Saturday. But they raced to an early lead in the first quarter on Sunday, scoring triple of their opponents’ points to take a 23-7 lead.
The Lagos club increased their lead to 48-13 in the second quarter and were 71-25 up at the end of the third quarter.

The impressive Blessing Obente of MFM led the game’s scoring with 20 points, with  Oluchi Nzeekwe contributing 14 points to the Lagos club’s big win.

Despite their defeat, Black Gold’s Hembem Wandoo got 12 points and five rebounds. MFM’s Motunrayo Subair got a game-high nine rebounds.

Black Gold are effectively out of contention for the final having lost all three group games: 84-35 to Dolphins on Friday, 87-58 to Air Warriors on Saturday and Sunday’s defeat to 97-31 loss MFM.

The competition, which started last Friday, will end with the final on Thursday. Monday is a day off for the teams as sponsor Zenith Bank hosts the teams at its corporate headquarters and organises clinics and workshops for the officials.
The champion of the competition and runners-up will qualify to represent Nigeria at the FIBA Africa Zone 3 Champions Cup qualifiers in Cotonou from 28 October to 3 November.

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