Four teams reach the NBBF Zenith Bank League semi-finals as ASO SKY Queens, MFM, Nigeria Customs and First Bank win twice in Lagos

LAGOS, Nigeria, 30 September 2026: ASO SKY Queens, MFM, Nigeria Customs and First Bank have secured semi-final places in the 2026 NBBF/Zenith Bank Women’s Basketball League after winning their opening two games at the Final Eight in Lagos.

Also read: NFF Appeals CAF Ruling on Edo Queens’ WAFU-B Victory

The four teams confirmed their places in the final four before Thursday’s concluding group fixtures, with the remaining games set to determine which teams finish top of their respective groups.

ASO SKY Queens and MFM progressed from Group A, while Nigeria Customs and First Bank secured the two semi-final places available in Group B.

ASO SKY Queens have emerged as one of the tournament’s surprise performers after coming through the Savannah Conference in second place behind Nigeria Customs.

The Lagos-based side began the Final Eight with a convincing 55-36 victory over Titans before producing another strong defensive display against Bayelsa Blue Whales.

ASO SKY Queens defeated Bayelsa Blue Whales 53-30 to move to two wins from two games and secure their semi-final ticket.

The result underlined the team’s consistency at the Final Eight, with ASO SKY Queens conceding only 66 points across their two group matches.

MFM, meanwhile, also maintained a perfect start to the competition.

The two-time league champions opened their campaign with a commanding 69-35 victory over Bayelsa Blue Whales on Tuesday before overcoming Titans in their second group fixture.

MFM’s experience has been evident during the group stage, with the former champions securing qualification before the final round of fixtures.

Group B has produced a similar pattern, with Nigeria Customs and First Bank both winning their first two matches.

Nigeria Customs opened their campaign with a 55-41 victory over Air Warriors before delivering the biggest win of the Final Eight so far.

The Customs side defeated debutants Victoria Queens 61-26, securing a 35-point margin and their place in the semi-finals.

First Bank, the record nine-time champions, have also demonstrated their credentials.

The experienced side began with a 68-57 win over Victoria Queens before beating Savannah Conference representatives Air Warriors 54-39.

First Bank’s two victories ensured their passage to the last four and kept their bid for another league title firmly on track.

The remaining group fixtures on Thursday will determine the final positions in both groups and, consequently, the semi-final pairings.

Nigeria Customs will face First Bank at 2pm in a meeting between the two already-qualified Group B teams.

MFM will then meet ASO SKY Queens at 4pm in an important Group A encounter that will determine which side finishes first.

Earlier in the day, Titans will face Bayelsa Blue Whales at 10am, while Air Warriors will meet Victoria Queens at 2pm.

The Final Eight has therefore reached an intriguing stage, with qualification already settled but group supremacy still at stake.

For ASO SKY Queens, the campaign represents an opportunity to build on their impressive progress from the Savannah Conference and challenge more established names at the business end of the competition.

For MFM and First Bank, the semi-final appearance gives the experienced teams another opportunity to compete for the league title.

Nigeria Customs, meanwhile, will enter the knockout phase after another strong group showing and will look to carry that momentum into the semi-finals.

With four teams already through, attention now turns to Thursday’s decisive fixtures and the battle for top spot in each group.

Also read: NFF Appeals CAF Ruling on Edo Queens’ WAFU-B Victory

The semi-finals will bring together the strongest four teams from the Final Eight, with the eventual winners moving closer to claiming the 2026 NBBF/Zenith Bank Women’s Basketball League crown.