Dolphins Basketball Club have been crowned champions of the 2025 Zenith Bank Women’s Premier League, defeating rivals First Bank 61-55 in a thrilling overtime final at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, on Saturday.
Both teams came into the showdown unbeaten from the group stage. Dolphins secured their place in the final with a 66-54 semifinal win over Royal Aces, while First Bank edged past MFM 47-45 in a tense encounter.
The Dolphins started brightly, building an early lead before First Bank clawed back to trail 33-30 at halftime. By the third quarter, Dolphins stretched the margin into double digits, but the Elephant Girls reduced the gap to single figures heading into the fourth.
A dramatic final quarter saw First Bank rally strongly, forcing a 53-53 tie at the end of regulation. But in overtime, Dolphins’ composure proved decisive as they scored eight points while limiting their opponents’ offense, sealing victory and a ₦7.5m prize.
First Bank coach Juliana Akhere rued missed opportunities after the game. “We needed to follow instructions better. If we can do that at a higher level, everything will fall in place,” she said.
Earlier in the third-place playoff, defending champions MFM bounced back to beat Royal Aces of Abuja 70-46 and claim bronze.
Individual awards also highlighted standout performers:
- Idubamo Beggi (MFM) – Highest assists
- Wandoo Hembam (MFM) – Best three-point shooter
- Bidemi Ogedengbe – Top rebounder
Each individual award came with a cash prize of ₦500,000.
