First Bank Basketball Club missed the WBLA quarter-finals in Cairo and now targets a 9th-place finish against Cameroon’s FAP in today’s classification match.
The Elephant Girls returned to continental action after six years and pushed for revival, yet their comeback exposed lingering gaps in Nigeria’s club basketball strength.
They fought hard through the group stage, produced determined performances, and showed renewed identity, but their momentum eventually fell short of qualification demands.
First Bank ended their group campaign with a gritty 58–52 victory over FAP, but that win failed to secure a knockout berth.
Their elimination came through an unfavourable points deficit, allowing CNSS of DR Congo and Sportive Clube de Luanda to claim the final quarter-final slots.
The outcome highlights a shifting African basketball landscape, where clubs from Morocco, Angola, Egypt, and DR Congo steadily rise with strong investment and structure.
Today’s clash against FAP marks their second meeting in Cairo, with tip-off set for 5:30 pm at Prince Abdallah Al Faisal Sports Hall.
First Bank aims to reproduce the defensive intensity, discipline, and poise that shaped their earlier win, while FAP seeks revenge through Nigerian-born leaders Idubamo Pius Beggi and Akaraiwe Nkem.
A top-10 finish will offer limited consolation, yet it reinforces Nigeria’s urgency to rebuild club structures and restore competitive stability nationwide.
Their six-year continental absence mirrors domestic struggles marked by inconsistent leagues, weak planning, and declining financial commitment across the women’s basketball ecosystem.
Other African nations strengthened facilities, youth pipelines, and partnerships, but Nigeria stalled, allowing regional rivals to accelerate and tighten the competitive gap.
First Bank’s Cairo campaign reminds fans of their proud legacy while demanding deeper reforms to revive Nigeria’s dominance in African women’s basketball.
