The national female Basketball League dunk off today at the Indoor sports hall of the National Stadium in Abuja with Sunshine Angels starting on a good note by defeating Zamfara Angels 51-32 points.
Speaking in a telephone chat with our sports correspondent Isaac Afolabi, chairman of the association Mr Segun Ikuesan said despite the lack of motivation poor condition and the absence of match and feeding allowance the girls passionately descended on their opponent.
Ikuesan appealed for adequate motivation from relevant authorities and stakeholders in supporting sports which he noted could divert youths attention from social vices.
The 2015 winners, Dolphins basketball club and First Deepwater, Delta Force Basketball Club, Zamfara Babes, AHIP Queens of Kano Oluyole Babes of Ibadan and Nigeria Immigration basketball team are others expected to compete for honours Others include Plateau Rocks of Jos, Benue Princess, FCT Angels of Abuja, Sunshine Angels of Akure, Nasarawa Amazons, Taraba Hurricanes.
The 2017 women's league is sponsored by Zenith Bank.
In the meantime, athletes at the Ondo state sports council this morning barricaded the entrance of the Akure sports complex protesting the delay in the payment of their eleven month salaries.
The protest which prevented management staffs and staff of the sports council from gaining access to the sports complex lasted for hours.
One of the players who prefer to be anonymous said most of the athletes have been training on empty stomach.