MFM Basketball Club launched their Zenith Bank Women’s Basketball Premier League Final 8 campaign with a 69-35 rout of Bayelsa Blue Whales at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Surulere. The former champions controlled the game from the opening quarter, according to the News Agency of Nigeria.
First Bank Basketball Club also returned to winning form, edging Victoria Queens 68-57 in a closely contested match. Elsewhere, Sky Queens of Abuja defeated Titans Basketball Club 55-36, a game briefly halted by an electricity failure, while Nigeria Customs Basketball Club wrapped up the day’s fixtures with a 55-41 victory over Air Warriors.
The opening day, however, was overshadowed by lengthy delays and repeated power failures at the venue. A first game scheduled for 10:00 a.m. eventually tipped off around 1:00 p.m., throwing the rest of the schedule into disarray and frustrating players, coaches and spectators.
First Bank captain Godgift Joseph said the win lifted her team’s confidence. "It was a great game and we had to work hard together as a team to claim the victory. We are going to take one game at a time and hopefully get to the final and win the championship trophy," she said. Victoria Queens captain Toluwani Arogundade, playing in her side’s first Final 8, said her team remained confident despite the loss.
