(NBBF/Zenith Bank WBL) - First Deepwater will stake its title at this year’s edition of the Zenith Bank Basketball Women League (WBL), which begins today at the sports hall of the Abuja National Stadium.
All teams are already in the Nigerian capital for today’s opening ceremony, which will also have the nine other clubs in attendance.
Former champions First Bank will lead the challenge to take the title away from their city rivals.
First Deepwater, now in their third season in the WBL, joined up in the 2008-09 season after acquiring the rights of defunct club side Amazon.
Other teams expected to challenge First Deepwater include Dolphin of Lagos, Customs also of Lagos, Sunshine Angels of Akure, Delta Force of Asaba, AHIP of Kano, Immigration also of Kano, FCT Angels of Abuja and Plateau Rocks of Jos.
The Abuja leg is the first phase of the league and will run between 12 and 22 May. The first game will tip off on Friday.
First Deepwater’s greatest challenge would come from First Bank, a team that has dominated the competition before it was dethroned last season.
Winner of the tourney will get N1 million (Nigerian naira), the second team will get N500,000 while the third will get N300,000. Also, individual awards will also go to outstanding players at the end of the third phase in Lagos.
Olusegun Ikuesan
FIBA