FirstBank Basketball Club, known as the Elephant Girls, have qualified for the final round of the Women’s Basketball League Africa (WBLA).
The final phase will take place in Cairo, Egypt, from December 5 to 14.
The team secured the slot after finishing top at the FIBA Africa Zone 3 Qualifiers held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
FirstBank represented Nigeria as the country’s only club in the competition and won all three games in the zone.
Their run included a 66–55 win over CSA of Côte d’Ivoire and a 63–59 win over FBA of Côte d’Ivoire after trailing by 20 points in the second quarter.
They also recorded wins over teams from Liberia, Benin Republic, Ghana and Togo.
The qualification marks FirstBank’s return to continental basketball after six years.
The Elephant Girls advanced as champions of Zone 3 and as the only English-speaking team from the zone to reach the final round.
FirstBank’s Group Head, Human Capital Management and Development and Chairman of the Sports Council, Olumuyiwa Olulaja, said the bank welcomed the team’s progress.
“We are proud of the Elephant Girls for their performance. They have shown the world the strength and resilience that define FirstBank,” he said.
Mr Olulaja added that the bank would continue to support sports development in Nigeria and Africa.
The team qualified for the WBLA Zone 3 event after finishing with a silver medal at the Zenith Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) Women’s Premier League.
With the Cairo finals ahead, the Elephant Girls will represent Nigeria as they compete for a place among the top clubs on the continent.
