Basketball in Africa

This will mark the sixth meeting between these two Nigerian sides in an organized basketball game with First Bank winning four of the sides five previous meeting at the home front and on the continent.

Both sides made it to the quarter-finals after finishing fourth (First Deepwater Group-B) and first (First Bank Group-A) from their respective group in the final round of the 15th FIBA Africa Champions Club for Women.

First Bank is loaded with five foreign-based professionals while their Friday quarter-final opponent and greatest rival in the Nigeria league First Deepwater who is playing in the continent biggest women club competition for the first time after finishing second in the Nigeria league will bank on an all home-based players who took the stage by storm during the FIBA Africa Zone-III qualifiers held in Abidjan Cote d'Ivoire earlier in the month.

Players to watch out from both sides;

First Deepwater - Magdalene Ukato, a product of Nigeria biggest developmental programme, the Nestle Milo Secondary School Championship where she caught the attention of basketball faithful in 2000 when she dorn the colour of Nana College of Warri.

Ukato, captain of her side is a resilient player that is unstoppable when she is at her peak; she was a member of the Nigeria senior women national team to the 21st FIBA Africa Championship for Women held in Madagascar last month
Ijeoma Uchendu – got age on her side, at only 17, Uchendu has proved to be a reliable forward for the Coaches Lateef Erinfolami and Shola Ogunade tutored First Deepwater basketball club.
Uchendu who sharpened her basketball teeth at the popular Police College, Lagos play ground under the watchful eyes of Coach Mark Balogun went on to nurture her career with Dolphin basketball club before moving over to First Deepwater at the inception of the club in January 2009 and has since become a dominant player in the team and in the local league.
Uchendu played a significant role in her team sterling performance during the zone-III qualifiers and in the final round so far, a good rebounder and scorer of the ball and was also part of the squad that qualifies Nigeria for the FIBA Africa Championship for Women held in Madagascar.
First Bank – Funmilayo Ojelabi, named captain among the legion of foreign-based players in the team is one player who is always business like when on court.
A reliable member of the team since 2002, Ojelabi has shown great maturity with every passing game, a member of the Nigeria senior women national team since 2003 and winner of the Africa club title with First Bank in 2003 has experience on her side.
Voted most valuable player of the Nigeria Basketball Federation, NBBF organized Zenith Bank Women Premier League in 2009, Ojelabi is very tenacious and does not get carried away with her successes.
Chioma Udeaja, very dependable at the low post, Udeaja is another player whose passion for success with her team has never being in doubt, she has remain steadfast even when the going is tough.
A good rebounder of the ball, Udeaja also has international exposure on her side and not a newcomer to the Africa Women Club competition.