The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Basketball

  • StarTimes secures African Basketball League right

    StarTimes has secured right to air live broadcasts of the the African Basketball League (ABL) on the TRACE Sports Stars channel from March 4.

    It said with the right, basketball fans will be able to watch the ABL including the All-Star Games, Play offs and behind the scenes show live on TRACE channels and TRACE Sport Stars, the first global entertainment channel dedicated to review of lives of stars in the world of sport.

    Its Group Managing Director, Media Department and VP, Michael Dearham,  said: “We are very excited to bring African basketball onto the StarTimes platform and believe the various matches will provide our sport loving subscribers with some high quality entertainment.”

    Also, the CEO of ABL, Ugo Udezue, said: “This is a historic moment for the ABL and will contribute greatly to the growth of professional basketball within the African continent. We are excited to feed the appetite of basketball lovers all across the world.”

    It said the TRACE Sports Stars is available on the StarTimes DTT channel 260 (Classic bouquet) and DTH channel 254 (Smart bouquet).

  • Let’s take basketball to grassroots – Otenigbagbe

    Former International and ex-coach of the First bank female basketball club, Ganiyu Otenigbagbe, last weekend called for the establishment of more sports academies as the House of Levi staged the third edition of its annual basketball tourney.

      Coach Otenigbagbe told Nationsports at the two-day basketball invitational competition which was held at the basketball court of the International School, Unilag (ISL) in Akoka, Lagos that academies have developmental effects on sports as well as help to discover and groom talents.

      “If you want to do anything for the growth of sports, you have to start from the grassroots. So I will like to encourage the establishments of more sports academies. Not just any kind of mushroom academies but organized academies with control. There are a good number of them around like what the house of Levi is doing in trying to discover talents. We also have the Youth Alive program, Warriors Academy as well as the defunct adopt-a-talent of the last administration in Lagos”, he said.

      However, players of the International School, University of Lagos (ISL) basketball team once again proved their mettle as they overran other contenders for the title at the third edition of the Basketball Rising Stars Invitational Competition.

      The competition which is popularly known as the Mountain of Fire Basketball competition is the third of its kind following its introduction in 2010 where Corona international school won, followed also by the 2012 edition where the ISL won the championship for the first time.

      This year’s championship tagged the rebirth was keenly contested by six schools including the host and defending champions ISL, Nigerian Airforce secondary school the first runner up, Victory Grammar School the second runner up, St. Gregs school, Nigeria-Turkish school and Strong Tower Academy.

      The obviously dejected captain of the second placed Airforce team, Ugwuezumba Justine expressed his dissatisfaction with the turn out of the game. “We were meant to win that game because from my observations, we were the superior side. My team played better on the offense and the defense too but I don’t know why we lost. Although I think we will have to work more on our offence and free throw as that could have helped us win”, he stated.

      On the other hand, Farawe Taiwo, captain of the victorious ISL side described their feat as a good come back from a defeat they suffered in another competition.

      “This was an important outing for us and it feels so great that we won the championship. It was like an opportunity to erase our quarter final knockout at recent competition. I will like to say that the winning factors for us are speed, stamina and strength.

      ISL’s Segun Balogun won the MVP award of the tournament and stated that his parents who were once active in sports motivate him. Ekeme Odo of the Air force team clinched the highest point scorer award.

  • Basketball: D’Tigress Ogoke dazzles in Spanish League

    Basketball: D’Tigress Ogoke dazzles in Spanish League

    After a slow start to her career at Celta Baloncesta Femenino of Spain, D’Tigress point guard, Sarah Ogoke made 27 points and nine rebounds as her team lost to Ensino Lugo 63-71 on Saturday.

    The 25-year-old Nigerian international, who joined the team after a grueling time at the African Games in Congo Brazzaville and the Afrobasket where Nigeria finished second and third respectively, was unable to save her team from defeat.

    Ogoke told Sportinglife that she is the oldest in the team and that most of the players were mostly U-18.

    “My team is very young with just 10 players. One is currently injured and five of the remaining 9 are under the age of 18. I am the oldest at age 25. The next oldest person is 21, which shows that the team is work in progress and will return to winning way soon. The season has just started, so, all I can do is lead by example and encourage the youngsters,” she added.

    According to Ogoke, winning the next game would be good for team spirit and instill confidence in the young team.

    “I am sure we’ll win the next game. We are improving and the only way for us is to move forward because that is how we can measure our progress. I started off a bit slow with my new team because of the stress from the travel from Afrobasket to Spain, but I am ready to take my rightful place and move the team forward.”

    She also thanked her teammates for helping her use to life in Spain. “My teammates are very kind. Although Spanish is their native language, they all try their best to speak English with me. And I’m also learning Spanish as well.

    “We spend a lot of time together on the court and we also go out to eat dinner together and such I am bonding with the team as fast as I can. The coaching staff is also very supportive and I will continue to learn as I take my game to the top,” she added.

    Ogoke was snapped up by Primerio D’Agosto of Angola last season after doing so well with First Bank Basketball Club at the FIBA Africa Champions Cup for Women in Tunisia in 2014.

  • Lagos wins 4th Victor Ochei Wheelchair Basketball tourney

    Lagos wins 4th Victor Ochei Wheelchair Basketball tourney

    • Agbesanwa hails team

    Director General of Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC) Ayodele Agbesanwa expressed happiness over the Team Lagos Wheelchair Basketball victory in the finals of the 4th Victor Ochei International Wheelchair Basketball Championship.

    Speaking at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Surulere, on Saturday, after the Tope Ogunkoya led Team Lagos 39-34 points win over their Team Oyo counterparts, Agbesawa commended team’s fighting spirit in the course of the match, stating that Lagos remains one of the leading sporting states in the country.

    He revealed  Governor  Akinwunmi Amode led government plans to use sports and tourism to drive youths empowerment and job creations,  saying the Commission will continue to support all the sporting associations in the state, working closely with them in bringing  glory to the State.

    “LSSC is working gradually in bringing Lagos back the glory and to make it one of the sport leading states in the country”, he noted.

  • Benue varsity builds basketball court

    Benue varsity builds basketball court

    The Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Terkimbi Ikyange, has commissioned a Basketball Court built by the Benue State University (BSU). The court, located behind the College of Medical Science, was built for medical students for them participate in extracurricular activities.

    Speaking at the event, state chairman of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), represented by Dr Sam Sule, said he was elated by the development, encouraging students to always take part in exercise and sport.

    He said: “I am pleased with the development. NMA believes medical students should demonstrate fitness to represent their medical college in major competitions. So, I encourage the students to participate in sports just as they take their studies seriously.”

    President of Benue State University Medical Students Association (BESUMSA), Moses Agbulu, promised to mobilise students for sporting activities. The Students’ Union Government (SUG) president, Martins Orjime, praised the school management for providing the facilities to help students discover their potentials.

    He said: “Students, who have flare for basketball, can now train on the campus. I will advise the medical students to maintain the facility and use it to develop their talents.”

    Msonter Anzaa, a 400-Level Medicine and Surgery student, hailed the management and BESUMSA for the project. “As we now have a basketball court in the college, who knows if the school will produce the world champion in the game?” he said.

    After court was commissioned by the Speaker, one-minute silence was observed in memory of the late Nicholas Idoko Ejugwu, a medical student, who died in a car accident recently.

     

  • Wheelchair basketball players intensify training

    Wheelchair basketball players intensify training

    Wheelchair basketball players are intensifying training ahead of the forthcoming National Wheelchair Basketball  Championship. The 4th Victor Ochei Tournament is scheduled to hold from October 12 to  17 in Lagos.

    Muhammed Audu, the National captain told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Friday that the championship would be used to select players for the African Championship to be staged by Algeria in November.

    “The preparation for the African Championship, to be hosted by Algeria and the annual Victor Ochei championship has brought about intense training.”

    He said  participating in major events could bring about the best in any athlete.

    “We are expecting very competitive national championship. The Oyo State team that won the National championship last year will also be poised to retain the trophy,’’ he said.

    NAN reports that the African championship would also be used as qualification for the 2016 Rio Paralympics in Brazil.

    The winners of the event would earn the ticket for the Rio paralympic Games in both male and female categories.

     

  • African Games: Nigeria picks silver, bronze in basketball

    The Nigeria female and male team won silver and bronze respectively on the final day of the basketball event at the new Gymnasium, Makelekele.

    In the bronze medal game, the male team, D’Tigers beat Mali 57-55 in a game the Nigerian team squandered a 17 point lead and winning the game with a second to go.

    The Nigerian  team led 22-7 after the first quarter and maintained the lead as the second half also ended 30-17 with the Malians reducing the deficit by four points.

    However, complacency set in the third quarter as the Malians rained three point shot into the Nigerian team’s basket. The Malians had the Nigerians on their back and reduced the deficit to six as the third quarter ended 45-39.

    At the resumption of the fourth quarter the Malians continued to dictate the pace of the game and leveled scores 45-45 with five minutes left to play.

    The Malians led with five points with less than 30 seconds to go, but threw away the lead as Nigeria scored seven points, making the final basket with a second left to play.

    In the women’s final, the Malians were too much for the Nigerian girls as they dominated the game winning 73 57 to avenge their group stage loss to Nigeria.

    It was a game that nothing worked for the Nigeria team, while the Malians got their tactics right, leaving no one in doubt of their desire to win the game.

    The Malians also had massive support from their compatriots in Congo who NationSport gathered reside mainly in Makelekele.

  • Basketball: D’Tigers,Egypt clash in semi final

    Basketball: D’Tigers,Egypt clash in semi final

    The Nigeria men basketball team, D’Tigers made certain of their top spot by beating Cote D’Ivoire 60-51 in their last group game to set up a semi final clash against Egypt.

    The Nigerian team won all its group games and is close to retaining the gold medal it won at the last edition of the African Games in Brazzaville in 2011. The players were cautious doing enough to avoid any upset from the Ivoreins.

    The women are also battling hard to top their group after winning their first three games, the best game being their 70-69 point win over Mali, in their opening game.

    Skipper of the D’Tigers, Olumide Oyedeji said that the team was at the Games to win the title, noting that all the players were ready to defeat any team in their quest to retain the gold.

    “We are all here to win the title. Anything short of that might be a disappointment, but I am sure that we are capable of achieving that aim. It is a big task, however, we are ready to accomplish it,” he added.

    Speaking in the vein, Coach Ahmed Sani said the team aim is to win he gold. He said the players must be good offensively and also defend well in their subsequent games, saying that the competition is getting tougher.

    “It is getting tougher now and I have spoken to the players to improve their game by playing to instructions. They have all done well, but we need to play as a unit to be sure of winning gold.

  • Basketball union makes case for players’ welfare

    Basketball union makes case for players’ welfare

    Ejike Ugboaja, the newly elected President, Basketball Players Association of Nigeria (BAPAN) on Thursday decried the challenges currently facing players in the major leagues in the country.

    Ugboaja told newsmen in Lagos that the leagues were the DStv Basketball Men’s, Zenith Bank Women’s and the National Division One and Two for men and women.

    According to Ugboaja, so much has been wrong with players’ welfare in the leagues, promising to effect changes before the start of next season.

    “We the representatives of the league players will be working toward attending to the plight of players in the women and men’s senior leagues across the country.

    “This is with regards to the players’ welfare, creating meaningful insurance schemes, enforcing the rights of the players and seeking placement of players in tertiary institutions of learning,’’ he said.

    Ugboaja, who was a draft in the 2006 season to play in the NBA in the U.S. while playing for Union Bank of Lagos, described the association as the “voice of the players.’’

    “Our objective is to speak on issues that affect them. It is in this regard that the association can act on players’ problems and create the enabling environment, where they can live a better life after basketball’.

    He noted that there was a damaging image presently on the lives of some of the players. Majority of us are not in the university and might waste their lives at the end, if they got carried away with playing basketball.

    Ugboaja added that the association was also determined to end the ongoing infighting among the board members of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) and other key stakeholders.

    “This is not making basketball to progress,’’ he said.

    The president added that the association would also impress it on the federation to restructure the game’s playing periods, which was just 14 games.

    “This is not helpful enough to develop future basketball players for the country,’’ he said.

    Ugboaja added that the association was also critical about the poor representation of the home-based league players in major competitions.

    According to him, it is the home-based that for the bulk of those that qualified the nation for international competitions.

    Lucky Abubakar, BAPAN Secretary said the association was not out to fight anybody within the federation, but only interested in pursuing players’ benefits.

    “The association is the voice of the players with the federation; we are not trying to disrespect anybody but only to show to the world that the players are suffering and that this has to stop.

    “Most of the players are suffering; they are often scared to talk because they have been subdued. We are confident we can change the situation and make life better for our league players.

    “The league had in the past produced many great players for the nation,’’ Abubakar said.

  • FIBA-Africa championship:Adeka to coach U-16 basketball female team

     

    The Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) on Monday announced the appointment of veteran basketball player, Dauda Adeka, as coach of the National U-16 female team.

    A statement released by Patrick Omorodion, head of the federation’s media team, said the appointment of Adeka was to prepare the team for the final round of the FIBA-Africa U-16 Women Championship, scheduled for Madagascar from July 10 to July 19.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the coach was recalled to guide the team’s re-entry to the tournament from which it opted to stay away to address age-related issues in youth development programmes.

    The statement said that Adeka’s experience with several national youth teams in the past was expected to assist him to prepare this youthful team. It said the team would be expected to form the foundation for the future senior national squad.

    According to the statement, Adeka will be assisted by Shola Shomala, the First Deepwater stand-in coach and an ex-national team captain to select a team of 20 players.

    The NBBF urged the coach to see the challenge as the “beginning of a rule-based development plan to benefit the country’s basketball in the future.’’ NAN reports that the U-16 female team resumed camping on Sunday in Abuja..