Dolphins Suffer Heavy Defeat as Victoria Queens Shine in Women’s Basketball League

By Dorcas Francis Koji

Defending champions Dolphins Basketball Club suffered another setback in the ongoing Zenith Bank/NBBF Women’s Basketball League after they were convincingly beaten 77-40 by Victoria Queens in the Atlantic Conference.

The defeat, recorded during the first phase of the championship at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, marked the second consecutive loss for the defending champions and further exposed their struggles in the competition.

Victoria Queens, who are making their debut in the league, produced a dominant performance from start to finish, winning all four quarters to secure a comprehensive victory over the reigning champions.

Dolphins had opened their campaign with a 59-46 defeat to First Deep Water before suffering another heavy loss against Bayelsa Blue Whales, who defeated them 58-28.

The champions, however, bounced back with a hard-fought 58-43 victory over IGP Queens before their latest defeat to Victoria Queens.

For Victoria Queens, the victory was their third in four matches. They had previously defeated IGP Queens and Bayelsa Blue Whales, with their only defeat coming against MFM.

Elsewhere in the Atlantic Conference, First Bank maintained their perfect start to the phase with a 50-39 victory over Bayelsa Blue Whales, recording their fourth consecutive win.

IGP Queens, meanwhile, continued their difficult run after falling 57-53 to Royal Aces.

In the Savannah Conference, Customs Women’s Basketball Club and Air Warriors continued to set the pace after maintaining their unbeaten records.

Customs began their campaign with a 62-51 victory over Titans before recording another emphatic win, defeating Nasarawa Amazons 72-40.

The two sides have now emerged as the standout teams in the Savannah Conference, with both maintaining perfect records in the opening phase.

Meanwhile, the Savannah Conference has been reduced to six participating teams after Kada Angels and Ham Warriors withdrew from the first phase of the season.

The withdrawals have forced the organisers to rearrange the conference fixtures as the remaining teams continue their battle for supremacy.

The ongoing competition remains keenly contested, with teams fighting not only for conference honours but also for a place in the later stages of the Zenith Bank/NBBF Women’s Basketball League.