Reigning Zenith Bank Women’s Basketball League champions, Air Warriors started their Savannah Conference Phase 2 campaign on a bright note beating Nigeria Army 61-39 points to maintain their dominance.
It will be recalled that the Air Force ladies ended the first phase in Jos without a defeat.
The match played at the Lafia City Hall located along Shendam Road started behind schedule but lived up to expectations as the fans had so much to savour from the first game of the second phase.
The duo of Nkem Oyoko and Onome Polycarp dictated the pace of the match for Air Warriors and made it impossible for Nigerian Army to cause any upset.
- FG recovers N57bn from 5,000 debtors nationwide
- Nigeria loses $18bn to illicit financial flows annually – AGF
The Zonal Representative, North Central, Adamu Deshi, thanked the sponsors, Zenith Bank, for bringing out female athletes from the north to take part in sports.
“Basketball has come to stay and hosting this Savannah Conference in a place like Lafia will open the eyes of parents that women can take sports as a profession.
“You can see other youths especially the girl child coming out to watch and they can take the gospel back home that they can achieve something through sport.”
On his part, the Permanent Secretary in the Nasarawa State Ministry of Youths and Sports, Barrister Isaac Danladi, welcomed the teams and charged them to put in their best.
In the same vein, he charged the state team, Nasarawa Amazons, to try and win to justify the government’s support.
He assured that the state government had made the necessary arrangements for a hitch-free second phase in the Savannah Conference.
Danladi who doubles as Chairman of Nasarawa United football club also assured the participating teams of the hospitality of the people of Nasarawa State,
Meanwhile, action will continue today as Plateau Rocks square up with Nigeria Army in the first match of the day while the hosts, Nasarawa Amazons face Kada Angels in the second match.
The final match of the day will be a clash of heavyweights as Air Warriors seek to maintain their unbeaten run against arch-rivals Nigerian Customs.
