The Air Warriors of Abuja and Royal Aces Basketball Club continued their impressive start to the 2025 Zenith Bank/Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) Women’s Basketball Premier League, winning their second games 66-53 and 93-35 against Plateau Rocks and Nasarawa Amazons, respectively, in Phase One of the Savanna Conference, held at the indoor hall of Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja.
In the match played, Air Warriors demonstrated their dominance and displayed superior composure against a spirited Plateau Rocks side, which was eager to get their campaign back on track after losing their opening match to Royal Aces 78-49. Air Warriors led the first quarter 18-15 and maintained their offensive prowess in the second quarter, winning it 35-26.
Plateau Rocks fought hard to narrow the gap to 54-41 in the third quarter before Air Warriors sealed the victory with a final score of 66-53, securing their second win. Air Warriors had previously opened their campaign with a commanding 91-24 victory over HAM Warriors on the first day of the championship.
In another match on Day 2 of the Savanna Conference, Kada Angels rectified their earlier setback with a narrow 55-54 victory over HAM Warriors after losing their opening match 28-67 to Titans.
Speaking to our reporter after the match, Air Warriors coach Enenche Joshua expressed his ambition to reach the Final 8 and win the league:
“We aimed for victory, and we achieved our target. As a coach, you must respect your opponents; they came out to win after losing their first match, but we knew we were facing a stronger team compared to yesterday’s match. With our collective efforts, we managed to secure the win. I believe we will continue to improve by addressing our mistakes and implementing the strategies we worked on during training.”
“Last season, we reached the Final 8 but could not participate in Lagos for the competition due to certain circumstances. This year, we are working hard, trusting in God that we will reach the Final 8 and win the championship because we have truly put in the effort,” Joshua declared.
Despite two straight defeats in their first two games of the Savanna Conference, Plateau Rocks coach Ringsum Solomon Jacob remains optimistic about his team’s chances in the competition, stating: “It was a great game, even though we lost. Such is the nature of competition, and I believe my players performed admirably.
“We also lost our opening game, but it is not yet over for us. This is just the first phase of the league, and we have another phase ahead. The good thing is that we have five more matches to play in this first phase, and we will strive to secure at least three wins. So, we still have hope,” Jacob said.
Meanwhile, the Day 3 fixtures on Thursday, July 31, will see Plateau Rocks seeking their first win in the league against Titans, Nigerian Customs facing Kada Angels, Ham Warriors clashing with Royal Aces, and Nasarawa Amazons aiming to halt Air Warriors’ winning streak.
A total of eight clubs are competing for a spot in the Final 8 of the Zenith Bank Women’s Basketball Premier League: Air Warriors, Kada Angels, Royal Aces, Nasarawa Amazons, Nigerian Customs, Plateau Rocks, Titans, and Ham Warriors.
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