It was another freaky fabulous Friday all around Nigeria in the world of the DSTV Premier Basketball League as we look forward to a dramatic final day of the season.
Final 8 for the National Playoffs Decided
Starting with the Atlantic Conference, Dodan Warriors kept their slim title hopes alive beating relegation strugglers, Police Batons 83-64 with All-Star shooting guard, Azuoma Dike scoring 23 points with 4 rebounds.
Beninoir, Romaric Quenum also had a good game for the winners, scoring 15 points, as police shooting guard Kelvin Dandinson continued with his 3-point shooting heroics (scoring 23 points) which might not be enough to save them from relegation on the final day when Oluyole warriors will be coming to Lagos to seek a win.
In the other game played in Lagos, the Islanders got a sweet 67–61 revenge victory in a top-of-the-table clash against table-toppers Union Bank. With injured skipper, Seun Akinwale still missing for the islanders, Union Bank welcomed back their most influential player, Williams Ndoumbe from a two-game suspension but this didn't stop them from going down as he could shockingly only add 2 points to his tally.
For the Islanders who missed too many free throws, they had their ever-reliable double-double hero, Chiwendu Nwaigbo to thank. The All-Star point guard who came in from Germany this season got 18 points, 12 rebounds, and 8 assists to his name, almost doing a triple-double in that one.
Seyi Ayodele, the man who got his two little daughters and his wife always at the games to cheer him up had a good game, scoring 13 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists.
Moving outside Lagos, Oluyole warriors got revenge over Scott Nnaji's Nigeria Customs, 93-73 at the almost invincible Adamasingba stadium. With this important victory, coach Bayo's side look like they have sealed the final playoff spot which if they had lost, would have kept Customs level on points with them for a final-day decider.
The Struggle for a Century Points in a Single Game
Before I move on to the final game, let me reveal to you that there are five Lagos teams from eight in the Atlantic conference and none of them have reached a century points all season.
More surprisingly, until Royal Hoppers' 100-67 blowout victory over Kwara Falcons, the only team that had done a century or more points in a single game was Oluyole Warriors with a 102-68 win over Police Batons earlier in the season.
The Relegation Battle: What it Meant to Police Batons
It looks almost done and dusted for the playoff spot, but everything still to fight for to escape relegation.
Batons will be playing host to Oluyole warriors, while fellow basement boys, Hoopers will be welcoming Dodan warriors in a must-win game. With rumors of a return to the office for the Police Baton team, if they are relegated spreading, the likes of point guard, Damilola Savadogo and others who are the only non-officers in the team will want to give it their best shot or risk an exit.
Now, let's see how it went down up north in the Savannah Conference.
Newly promoted Gombe Bulls who are already through to the playoffs gave relegation-threatened Niger Potters a final-day lifeline, losing 42-37 in one of the lowest-scoring games of the season.
There are now three teams having to slog it out on the final day with the top four already secured after Plateau Peaks defeated fellow contender Nigeria Immigration 73-49, leaving them to join the Potters and Kada Stars in the relegation waters.
The Kaduna side lost 53-91 at home to Kano pillars and will have to make a short trip within the state to defeat Immigrations at home to be sure of safety.
For the second-best side so far in the league this season, no thanks to Kano Pillars' dominance, Mark Mentors destroyed every net that was set by the team from Bauchi in a 89-63 blowout win to keep up their momentum for the national 8 playoff.
