Dolphins Basketball Club of Lagos on Tuesday defeated Mountain of Fire Miracles (MFM) Basketball Club 43–37 to win the Olukoya Daniel Championships.
The fifth edition featured no fewer than eight teams battling for the championship trophy.
Dolphins displayed clear dominance throughout the match and remained in control from start to finish, never coming under serious pressure from MFM.
They took a commanding 15–2 lead by the end of the first quarter and continued to dominate the second and third quarters of the game.
Although MFM attempted a late rally, they could not match Dolphins’ intensity and organisation, which ultimately sealed the win for the better side.
Damilola Olubode, captain of the Dolphins team, told NAN that the team played well and fully deserved the victory.
She said they had adequately prepared for the competition and remained undeterred by the strength of their opponents.
“We are confident heading into the women’s league. This competition served as good preparation for what’s to come,” Olubode said.
She thanked the organisers and sponsors and expressed hope for more competitions later in the year.
Ukamaka Okoh, captain of MFM, told NAN the team gave a good effort but were outplayed by a more composed opponent.
“We lost to a strong side. It’s disappointing, but we are grateful to compete in a tournament hosted by our sponsors.
“It’s painful to lose first place to Dolphins, but we’ve learnt valuable lessons and will train harder moving forward,” Okoh said.
Coordinator, Godwin Enakhena, told NAN the competition was created for players who train year-round to showcase their skills.
He said he was pleased with the success of all five editions and looked forward to a stronger outing next year.
“With the Zenith Bank Women’s League approaching, this tournament helped players fine-tune preparations,” Enakhena said.
He added that MFM’s defeat was partly due to a depleted squad, with some players yet to return from abroad.
The organiser, Dr Daniel Olukoya, expressed delight over this year’s success and promised more tournaments in the future.
He reaffirmed MFM’s commitment to empowering young people through sports development. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)