Zenith Bank Women Basketball League has come of age

Although the Zenith Bank Women Basketball League is now the cynosure of all eyes, it indeed began in 2005 with less than ten clubs drawn from across Nigeria.
At its inception, neither the organisers, – Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) and the sponsor – Zenith Bank plc knew the league will blossom and produce top players that would become notable stars-players for various clubs and the Nigeria national team, the D’Tigress.
The league now comprises of eighteen teams and has elicited interest from states who were hitherto not interested in basketball club in the past participating in the league. In the last four seasons, states like Zamfara, Enugu, Nasarawa, Taraba and Benue have joined.
The league has produced only three champions in the last eleven seasons with Dolphins basketball club as the reigning champion, First Bank being the dominant team in the league with six titles (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2014) while First Deepwater who broke First Bank ten years unbeaten run at the third phase of the league in 2009 before going on to win the league in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013.
First Bank currently accounted for most of the players and coaches that have done Nigeria proud. Former coach of the ‘Elephant Girls’ as First Bank basketball team is known  Adewunmi Aderemi was an instant success with the former champion and the Nigeria U18 women national team where he led the team to a second place finish at the 2010 Africa Championship for U18 women in Egypt and has being part of the senior national team success since 2003 where Nigeria won her first Afrobasket for Women championship in Mozambique and 2005 In Abuja and the recent third place finish in 2015 edition in Cameroon.
Among the notable players who are still doing so well for the various clubs are four-time most valuable player Nkechi Akashili who has won the Zenith Bank league title with two teams – First Deepwater (four titles) and First Bank one title.
Akashili who has won various laurels with the Nigeria senior national team one bronze and a silver at the 2011 and 2015 All Africa Games in Mozambique and Congo and an Afrobasket bronze medal in 2015 stood out among the pack.
The sleeky shooting guard joined First Deepwater basketball club from Delta Force basketball club of Asaba before pitching tent with First Bank basketball club at the end of the 2013 season.
Another player that is making wave in the league is Atosu Upe who began her career in the Zenith Bank league at the start of the 2009 season with First Deepwater basketball club where she spent four seasons before joining forces with First Bank basketball club.
Upe whose career blossom under the tutelage of experience tactician who ranked second to Coach Aderemi in the Zenith Bank league Lateef Erinfolami earned her place in the Nigeria senior national team in 2012 and has since being part of the team with two continental medals under her belt.
First Bank basketball club and Nigeria senior national team forward Chioma Udeaja who had a brilliant season in 2014 where she won the most valuable player award can be referred to as the mother of all players in the league with her exposure and years of experience in the game for both club and country.
Udeaja who is the most crowned player in the league with six titles – five with First Bank and one with First Deepwater with club continental title in 2009 and several national team appearances and laurels does not appear tired in calling it quit with the slamming and dunking game and look set to wrestle the title from Dolphins this season.
Most of the young ladies who will be representing Nigeria at the June 22 to July 3 FIBA World Championship for U17 Women in Zaragoza, Spain have since teamed up with various clubs where they are nurturing their talents with a bid to do Nigeria proud at the global championship.