The crunch battle for the eight final tickets of the 2024 Zenith Bank National Women's Basketball League started yesterday in two centres.

Abuja centre, which is the Savannah Conference took off at the National Stadium Sports Hall just as the Atlantic Conference slated for Enugu also commenced at the Indoor Sports Hall of the Nnamdi Azikwe Stadium.

The Savannah Conference has Customs as the favourite team to beat after winning all games in the 1st Phase that took place in Lafia, Nasarawa State earlier this month.

Other teams in the Savannah still competing for the four slots at stake include; Air Warriors, Plateau Rocks, Kada Angels, Titans, Royal Aces, Nigeria Army and Nasarawa Babes.

Today, Nigerian Army will take on Kada Angels, Air Warriors will clash with Plateau Rocks, Royal Aces will try Nasarawa Amazons for size while Titans and Nigeria Customs will lock horns.

In the Atlantic Conference, First Bank are the favourite team after winning all their matches in the first Phase. Other teams in the Atlantic are; defending Champions MFM, Bayelsa Whales, Dolphins, Delta Force, IGP Queens, First Deep Water and Sunshine Angels.

Also today in Enugu, MFM will clash with Bayelsa Whales, Dolphins will take on First Bank, Sunshine Angels will lock horns with Delta Force while First Deep Water and IGP Queens will compete for honours.

Zenith Bank, over the years has been a strong supporter of basketball and this has been a big boost to the female national team D'Tigress as they have won the Women Afrobasket consecutively in the last four editions.

NBBF President, Musa Kida, said all logistics were in place for true finalists to emerge just as Zenith Bank CEO, Adaora Umeoji, has charged all participants to put in their best in the annual competition.

The final stage of the league is billed to take place in Lagos between October 13 and 19.