Zenith Bank women’s basketball league starts October 28

The Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) has disclosed that its women league, sponsored by Zenith Bank plc., will tip off on October 28 in an abridged fashion.

The NBBF said in a statement yesterday that the abridger format became due to the short window before the FIBA Africa Zone 3 Club Championship’s zonal elimination starting in November

With this development, the First Bank Women’s Basketball team of Lagos will begin their Premier League title defense on October 28 when the conference phase of the league starts.

Mountain of Fire Women’s Basketball Club’s recent admission into the Premier League means 10 teams from the South West, South East and South South will converge on Enugu in the Atlantic Conference, while nine teams from the Savannah Conference (North West, North East and North Central) will battle for supremacy in Abuja from October 28 to November 2, 2018.

According to the statement, three teams each will qualify from Abuja and Enugu zones to make up the six that will compete in the finals in Lagos between November 3 and 7, while the winner and first runners up will represent Nigeria at the FIBA Zone 3 Women Championship qualifiers in Cotonou between November 12 and 15.

Pleased with the return of the league, Group Managing Director, Zenith Bank, Peter Amangbo said, “We are committed to sports in various ways but the women basketball has been one major area we have invested in over the years.

“Zenith Bank is proud that Nigerian basketball especially women has developed greatly as we all saw during the last World Cup.”

Also reacting to the return of the league, NBBF President, Musa Kida showered praises on players and club owners for their understanding and patience during the impasse regarding the 2018 basketball season, adding, “We are happy that everything is fine with all stakeholders and we are making progress with the understanding of our sponsors.”