After a four-year break coaching the men’s league, MFM Basketball Club coach Adewunmi Aderemi makes a return to coaching a women’s team.
Aderemi coached Kwara Falcons of Ilorin and Ahip Giants of Kano during the four-year period in the men’s league.
He then took MFM to an unexpected fourth place finish in their first season in the Zenith Bank Women’s Basketball League last year.
“I really enjoy coming back to a female team. I really miss coaching a female side. It is a very big challenge and there will be a lot of work to be done but I have made up my mind I want to make MFM a great team. I have been with female teams for 22 years so taking a break for four years and returning is not new to me,” Aderemi told www.aclsports.com.
A proud Aderemi pointed out positives from the Club’s maiden season in the Zenith Bank Women’s Basketball League.
“I am not disappointed we finished fourth in our first season I told you before we played the last game against First Deep Water we had arranged our transport to get back to Lagos for everyone to go back to their different destinations but fortunately, it was as if Deep Water underrated us. At the end of the third quarter, we saw that it was a game we could win and God gave it to us.”
Aderemi continued, “We are going to get better because the last time we took part in this tournament there was no preparation we just gathered players together in Enugu. Fortunately for us we qualified and we were not expecting to go that far . We got to Lagos and we were able to finish fourth. Right now we have started working since March. It’s going to be a very good preparation producing a good team. So our position this time around is for us to be better than where we were last season.”
The former D’Tigress assistant coach said only the best will be selected for the 2019 team roster.
“Right now we are like 20 in camp and eventually we are going to pick the best out of this 20 we are not adding anyone again. We don’t want old players but very young talent that can get better on time before we start the league then we pick the best 15 or 17 depending on what NBBF wants.”
“The only experienced players I have are Oluchi she played for me when I was at First Bank, Juliet Chinyere, Becky Rete and Joy Aku.
Aderemi pleaded with the Nigeria Basketball Federation to come up with a set date for the commencement of the league.
“We are still waiting for date and we are hoping NBBF fix a date before month end. It’s becoming boring you train all day and no idea when we want to start the league we are just training. All the teams and players are affected for now only three or four teams that are practising.
