Zenith Bank Women Basketball League: Dolphins beat Delta Force

Dolphins Women Basketball Club of Lagos on Tuesday in Abuja recorded their second win at the ongoing 2017 Zenith Bank Women National League, beating Delta Force of Asaba 66-65.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the match was one of the six Match Day 2 games at the league’s Phase One holding at the Abuja National Stadium.
Dolphins, who had on Monday defeated FCT Angels 97-60, took control of the game by leading in the game’s first quarter 14-11.
But they lost the second quarter 22-23, only to bounce back in the third quarter by winning 44-38, before losing the last quarter 22-57 as the Delta side fought back.
Okworogun Ochuko, coach of Dolphins, told NAN after the match that the motivation for the team had been “team spirit”.
Ochuko said: “I thank God for the victories so far.
“These are a new set of players we have now.
“Nine of our players went to others clubs and four of them are my key players.
“Only three of them are old players.
“Also, we started training at the end of January.
“I am happy that we won because when you win a match, it gives you confidence for the next game, but when you lose, it demoralises you.
“We are going back to our drawing board to work on our mistakes.
“Our defence is very weak.
“I have a lot of work to do.”
On his part, Benson Aikoroje, the coach of Delta Force, blamed his team’s loss on fatigue.
Aikoroje said: “The players had fatigue and it affected their performance.
“They could not think fast.
“They did not play to instructions.
“Dolphins are a better side though, but they shouldn’t have beaten us.
“It was only one point difference.
“It was all due to fatigue.”
NAN reports that Delta Force had won their first against Coal City Angels of Enugu.
In the fourth match of the day, Plateau Rocks of Jos lost 33-73 to First Bank of Lagos.
NAN reports that 18 clubs, divided into three groups, are playing in the annual competition.
In Group A are First Bank, Nasarawa Amazons, Taraba Hurricanes of Jalingo, Plateau Rocks, AHIP Queens of Kano and First Deep Water.
Group B has Dolphins, FCT Angels, Zamfara Babes of Gusau, Delta Force, Coal City and Sunshine Angles of Akure.
Group C has Nigeria Customs of Lagos, GT 2000 of Kaduna, Oluyole Angels of Ibadan, Ekiti Angels, Benue Princess of Makurdi and IGP Queens.
NAN reports that the league’s Phase One, which ends on Monday, is organised by the Nigeria Basketball Federation, with Econet Media Limited (KWESE) one of the partners.
NAN.