Sixteen teams have qualified for the National Conference Phase of the 2019 Zenith Women Basketball League, NAN report.
The teams qualified after the conclusion of the group games across four venues, according to a statement by the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) Media Officer, Afolabi Oni.
Oni in a statement in Lagos said Nigerian Army Amazons who remained unbeaten after 12 games in the North West Division booked a place in the Savannah Conference alongside Kaduna Angels who finished with 22 points.
“Taraba Hurricanes with seven wins in 12 games also qualified with Adamawa Flames who managed six wins.
“In the North Central Division held in Abuja, Air Warriors with 13 wins from 14 games topped the group to book a conference playoff ticket.
“2018 Zenith Bank Women’s Basketball League bronze medalist, Nigerian Customs finished second with 13 wins after losing out to Air Warriors on head to head points.
“Others include Plateau Rocks and Black Gold Queens of Abuja who won 10 and 8 games respectively,” he said.
He stated that unbeaten First Bank of Lagos who won all their eight games to finish ahead of rivals, Dolphins, who won six games, both qualified from the South West Division in Ibadan.
“Ogun Babes and Oluyole Babes also booked places in the Atlantic Conference.
“In Akure, MFM of Lagos were unstoppable as they won all their 10 games to qualify for the Conference phase of the 2019 Zenith Bank sponsored Women’s Basketball League.
“It was a fierce battle between Sunshine Angels of Akure and Delta Force as they both won six games and lost four each to finish on 16 points.
“Sunshine Angels, however, edged out their Asaba counterparts on superior head to head indices to finish on the second spot, ” he said.
Oni said that Lagos-based IGP Queens finished fourth to pick the last ticket from the zone ahead of 2017 league finalists First Deep Waters.
“The new format which was recently introduced by the Nigeria Basketball Federation is targeted at increasing the number of games to be played per season.
“Dates and venues for the Savannah and Atlantic Conferences of the 2019 Zenith Bank sponsored Women’s Basketball League will be announced in the coming days, ” Oni stated.
