UNILAG SC takes early lead as NSF Inter-Club Challenge enters Day 2

Day 1 of the NSF Inter-Club Challenge Finals, titled Challenge your Limits, holding at Rolak Hotel and Suites, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State was as challenging as it was exciting, and students of the University of Lagos, showed where the future truly belongs.

The Inter-Club Challenge Finals the 3rd of 4 events in the NSF National Scrabble Festival ‘Gateway 2024’, sponsored by the Ogun State Government did not only feature high quality performances by the youths but also lived up to expectations as the leader board was very fluid.

UNILAG SC, a student initiative, are the early leaders of the competition, winning 34 out of the 55 games played on Day 1 and a plus 974 cumulative points.

West Africa champion, Oluwatimilehin Doko was hot as he defended the cause of UNILAG SC, 2nd place with 9 wins, 2 losses and +1096 points was his to take on Day 1, in the individual event.

Closest to them was another Lagos club, Ikorodu SC, who are on 30 wins with +214 points and 2nd on the team standings. Victor Ewarah was the best man in the colours of Ikorodu SC on day 1, as he secured the first spot on the individual table with 9 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss and a +825 cumulative points.

The gentlemen from Surulere SC grabbed the third spot, with ease and  currently have the highest cumulative spread of +1157 with 29.5. Opeyemi Oloro, on 7 wins from 11 games and +154 points, who came in 10th at the close of things on Day 1, was number one hitman of Surulere SC.

The fourth position on Day 1 belongs to Uyo SC, who won 29 and lost 26 of their games, the only downside for Uyo, was their negative cumulative spread of -444. Jacob Ryan was the highest scorer from the land of Promise, with 8 victories, 3 losses with +421 cumulative spread at the 5th spot.

Ibadan SC closed the day just below the halfway line, as they managed to secure, 27 victories and lost 28, they were the first team to lose more games than they won and the best club in that regard.
The leader of Ibadan SC delegation was none other than Dokun Esan, in 4th place, with 9 wins, 2 losses and +812 points.

Apex SC of Abuja and Warri Victory SC, have 26 wins each but the scrabblers from Abuja, are faring better than the defending champions.

Apex SC on the 7th spot, have just -29 cumulative points, a result that they can change in round 1 of day 2, 8th placed Warri Victory SC have 26 wins to show for their efforts but their points haul of minus 109 points, needs major improvement.

Pyramid SC of Lagos and host Abeokuta SC are the trailing pack and they need more than just quality and focus, to turn the narrative in their favour, they need to win their games and win them big.

25 wins and 30 losses is the scoreline that puts Pyramid SC on the backfoot and their -254 points doesn’t really help matters, Abeokuta SC have just 20.0 wins in 55 games, a dull record that added -1354 points to their overall total.

The Inter-Club Challenge Finals the biggest scrabble club competition in Africa, features 10 scrabble clubs, and Challenge your Limits has been selected as the theme of this edition of the event.
The championship which draws clubs from the 6 geo-political zones of the Federation began on Friday, the 19th and ends on Sunday the 21st of April.

35 rounds of games are scheduled to be played over three days of the grueling challenge, 15 rounds of games will be played in the initial Group stage phase and 8 clubs of the 10 clubs will make it to the quarter- finals.

The quarter- finals, which will see the better half of 8 scrabble clubs make it to the semis, will decide the best 4 with 5 rounds of games. The two finalists will emerge from a best of 5 games.

The third place matches will be a best of 5 games. The final of the NSF Inter-Club Challenge finals will likewise, be decided in a best of 5 rounds.

Collins Scrabble Word Dictionary – 2021 will be the lexicon for the competition, 25 minutes will be alloted per player per round. All WESPA and NSF rules will be applied to the letter in the Inter-Club Finals, with penalties awarded to offenders.

After the close of the NSF Inter-Club Challenge finals on Sunday, the scrabble festival which was made possible by the support of the Ogun State Government, will close with the Awards and Gala Night put together to honour the best in Nigerian scrabble.

Enock Nwali, will also be decorated with the prestigious NSF National Green Jacket on Sunday, during the Awards and Gala Night for winning the Asaph Zadok National Scrabble Championship.

The Ogun State Commissioner for Sports, who was represented at the opening ceremony by Mr. Gbolahun Okeowo the Head of Operation at the Otunba Dipo Dina Stadium, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, is set to grace the event.

Adekoyejo Adegbesan, the Chairman of Ogun State Scrabble Association (OSSA),  said the Association is proud and happy with Prince Dapo Abiodun’s support for the game of words and the Scrabble Festival.

4 Awards will be given to players who have been exceptional on the Scrabble scene. Most improved male player, most improved female player, and others will be rewarded for the examplary and tireless efforts.

The Awards have been dedicated to four very important personalities who have been the back and bone of the Nigeria Scrabble scene.

The NSF Inter-Club Challenge Finals is part of the 4 in 1 NSF National Scrabble Festival, Gateway 2024, which is proudly and heavily supported and hosted by the Ogun State Government.