Date: 2012-04-28

With one phase left to be decided in the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) Zenith Bank Women's Basketball League, title holders First Deepwater basketball club have already set the pace to annex the league title for a third straight season with a 69-63 points victory over former champions First Bank basketball club in the second phase Thursday in Ilorin.

 The Oil & Gas Ladies have kept a clean slate from the first phase having defeated the Elephant Girls during the first phase by 88-81 points in Kaduna.

First Deepwater basketball club stormed the Nigerian domestic scene four seasons ago after taking the place of defunct Dodan Amazon basketball club before the commencement of the 2008/2009 season and have succeeded in effecting significant changes in the Nigerian women's league where they finished second behind the bankers in their first season, thus pushing the likes of Dolphins, Sunshine Angels and Delta Force basketball clubs to struggle for the third spot.

 The Coaches Lateef Erinfolami and Shola Ogunade-tutored First Deepwater side recorded a feat in their first outing in the league when they stopped First Bank's unbeaten run in ten years at the final phase of the 2008/2009 season in Lagos.

Inspired by the Babatunde Babalola-led management team, First Deepwater went on to become the first club to stop First Bank's dominance in the local league when they wrestled the league title from the Adewumi Aderemi-coached First Bank in the 2009/2010 season and have not looked back ever since, thus relegating First Bank to the second position in the league.

 The club made appreciable impact in 2011 when they hosted and finished third in the FIBA Africa Champions Cup in Lagos.

 Club chairman, Babalola disclosed that the players and their handlers have done the organisation proud and justified the essence of giving back to the society through basketball.

 The soft-spoken Oil & Gas mogul implored the players to remain focused and finish what they started during the first phase in Kaduna when the last phase dunks-off in Lagos.

First Deepwater will round off their second phase campaign with a game against Delta Force basketball club of Asaba on Sunday in Ilorin, Kwara.