Augustine Balewa, Secretary-General of Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), on Monday in Abuja said the Zenith Bank National Female League would soon start to get the federation’s 2017 season underway.
Balewa told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the federation has concluded arrangements for the Zenith league’s first phase to hold from April 10 to April 17 in Abuja.
“Fifteen teams are expected to participate in the league from across the federation, and it will be in six different phases to be held in six locations.
“The first phase will be held in Abuja between April 10 and April 17, while the second phase will be held in Kaduna from May 1 to May 8.
“The third phase will hold in Bauchi from May 22 to May 29, while the fourth phase will be in Akure from June 7 to June 15,” he said.
Balewa added that Yenagoa would host phase five from June 26 to July 4 while the final phase would be in Lagos from July 12 to July 26.
On how the overall winners would emerge, the federation scribe said “the best four teams in phase one to phase three will compete for the final phase against the best four teams in phases four and five.”
He said the technical committee of NBBF would soon come up with the league’s fixtures.
The teams expected to participate in the league include Plateau Rocks, Oluyole Babes, Coal City, First Bank, GT 2000 and Zamfara Babes.
Others are Customs, FCT Angels, Taraba Hurricanes, IGP Queens and Delta Force.
NAN recalls that the men’s premier league, the DStv Men’s Basketball Premier League, used to kickstart the federation’s season.
However, a federation official disclosed that the title sponsors were yet to signify their intention of sponsoring the 2017 edition.(NAN)
ASAB/OLAL