The race for the last tickets to the Zenith Bank/NBBF Women’s Basketball League finals heated up in the Atlantic Conference on Thursday, with defending champions Mountain of Fire Ministries (MFM) Women showing their class in Ilorin.

MFM cruised past First Deepwater 65-29 in a one-sided opener, dominating so convincingly that they eased off in the latter stages to conserve energy for tougher battles ahead. The victory confirmed their qualification for the Lagos finals next month, having maintained a perfect record across Phases One and Two.

The day’s second clash delivered the drama fans had been waiting for, as First Bank and Dolphins went toe-to-toe in a tense affair. In a game that could have swung either way, the Bankers held their nerve to snatch a narrow 43-42 win.

With both action and surprises already unfolding, attention now shifts to the grand finale. Zenith Bank and the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) have fixed the finals for September 14–18 at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Lagos.