Prison Queens have been crowned champions of the Eastern Region in the One NICO Top 12 Netball Cup after edging out Airforce Falcons 51-47 in a tightly contested final held at Cobbe Barracks over the weekend.
The victory not only earned Prison Queens regional bragging rights but also secured them a spot in the national phase of the competition.
Airforce Falcons, despite the loss, also qualified for the nationals alongside Zomba-based Genius Sisters, who claimed third place with a narrow 33-30 win over Marine Queens of Mangochi.
The regional play-offs brought together top talent from the Eastern Region as teams competed fiercely for one of three slots in the national finals of the newly launched tournament.
With the Eastern Region qualifiers complete, Prison Queens, Airforce Falcons, and Genius Sisters now join Southern Region representatives Kukoma Diamonds, Tigresses and Blantyre Tremors in the national phase.
The play-offs will now move to the central and northern regions, where three teams from each zone will also be selected to complete the 12-team national line-up.
The One NICO Top 12 Netball Cup is part of a historic K1 billion three-year sponsorship package unveiled last month by NICO Group.
The sponsorship will see an annual investment of K320 million in the first year, increasing to K330 million and K350 million in the second and third years respectively, making it one of the largest corporate commitments to netball in Malawi.
With momentum building across the regions, fans can expect an exciting national showdown that celebrates the growth and potential of women’s netball in Malawi.
