2019 Prudent Energy Handball League: Kano Pillars, Safety Babes Emerge Champions

Kano Pillars and Safety Babes emerged champions in the men and women’s categories respectively of the 2019 Prudent Energy Handball Premier League which came to a close on Wednesday at the Rowe Park Sports Center, Yaba, Lagos.

Kano Pillars defeated fifth-placed De Defenders 29-21 to finish on top of the log with 38 points in the men’s category. Pillars’ haul was two points better than Safety Shooters who defeated 2018 champions Niger United 34-29 to end the league in second place.

Niger United were unlucky to finish outside the podium places having finished with a similar points total of 34 points as third-placed Lagos Seasiders who beat Sokoto Rima 40-31 and whose goals difference ensured they finished above the former champions.

Sixth-placed COAS Shooters beat 9th place Borno Spiders 29-28 to finish with 25 points while Spiders ended their campaign in ninth-place having garnered 12 points. Plateau Vipers are 7th with 17 points, one place and one point better than Kada Stars who they lost to 21-22 in their final game of the season.

Owena Kings and Prison Key Boys finished in the bottom places with their points totals of 11 and 12 corresponding to their league positions.

In the women’s category, Safety Babes ensured a poetic ending to their season with a 31-29 defeat of Plateau Peacocks to dethrone the former champions and assume the crown with a haul of 32 points. Plateau Peacocks ended in thrid-place with 29 points.

Edo Dynamos who played out a 31-31 draw in an exhibition game against Ghana Police, ended their campaign with 30 points to finish in third place. Imo Grasshoppers were fourth with 26 points and ended their season with a 27-21 defeat of fifth-placed Seasider Babes of Lagos who finished with 18 points.

Champions Kano Pillars and Safety Babes were awarded N1m in prizemoney respectively while the second and third-placed teams in both categories received =N=750,000 and =N=500,000 respectively.

MEN’S TEAM OF THE TOURNAMENT

MIKE SOLOMON AGBAJI (KANO PILLARS); ANAS MOHAMMED (NIGER UNITED); CHRIS OGEDEMGBE (KANO PILLARS); MUDASHIRU ABDULMAJEED (D: DEFENDERS); SHEHU ALIYU (NIGER UNITED); AMADI EMMANUEL (SAFETY SHOOTERS); IBRAHIM OWOLABI ADIO (LAGOS SEASIDERS)

WOMEN’S TEAM OF THE TOURNAMENT

TOYIN YUSUF (PLATEAU PEACOCKS); GBAMIRE GRACE (SEASIDER BABES); HOPE SUNDAY (PLATEAU PEACOCKS); DANGANA JOY (DEFENDER BABES); VIVIAN UWANDI (EDO DYNAMOS); TAIWO RAJI (SAFETY BABES); EZINNE DIKE (IMO GRASSHOPPERS)

Final Day Results.

OWENA KINGS 23-21 PRISON KEY BOYS 

LAGOS SEASIDERS 40-31 SOKOTO RIMA 

GHANA POLICE 31-31 EDO DYNAMOS

KADA STARS 22-21 PLATEAU VIPERS 

IMO GRASSHOPPERS 27-21 SEASIDER BABES

BORNO SPIDERS 28-29 COAS SHOOTERS 

SAFETY SHOOTERS 34-29 NIGER UNITED 

PLATEAU PEACOCKS 29-31 SAFETY BABES 

KANO PILLARS 29-21 D: DEFENDERS