Zenith B’ball League Star, Akashili, Relishes Football Stint

• Final Phase in semis

Female basketball star, Nkechi Akashili, would have ended up lacing the boots for a top football club in the country or somewhere else in Europe.

But her love for the dunking game won her over from the wish of her father.

Nkechi’s father had wanted the player currently making waves at the ongoing Zenith Bank Women Basketball League to play soccer but her passion for basketball did not allow her.

Beautiful Nkechi started going to basketball courts by following her elder sister, Sunnychi Akashili who played the game years back in the ancient city of Warri.

“I started playing the game in 2009 at Warri at the secondary school level, but did not get the approval of my father who wanted me to be a footballer.

“But when we won the All Nigeria Secondary School Milo title and came back home with cartons of Milo drinks and the ticket to represent the country at the World Secondary Championship in Argentina, my father changed his mind started supporting me,” she revealed.
On her return from South America, Akashili moved to Asaba to join the Delta State basketball team, Delta Force.

She hardly played two seasons at Delta Force before the prying eyes of scouts from First Deepwater caught up with her and she moved to Lagos.
She won the Zenith Bank Most Valuable Player (MVP) award with Deepwater at her first outing before First Bank came for her signature.
The University of Lagos graduate says she is not in a hurry to be a mother.

Nkechi said she would be looking forward to win her sixth Zenith Bank Women Basketball League title this weekend in Lagos.
“I have won it five times in the past and will be gunning for the sixth this weekend,” Nkechi who is aspiring to go abroad soon to continue with her exploits in the game said.

Meanwhile, the ongoing final phase of the 2017 Zenith Basketball League enters crucial stage today as finalists are expected to emerge after the semifinal matches this evening.

RESULTS
First Bank 83-40 GT 2000
Dolphins 69-64 Plateau
IGP Queens 61-60 Delta Force