Quarter-Finalists Produce Big Margin Wins on Day-4 of Mark D Ball Women’s Tournament

Published

5 years ago

January 18, 2022

The Preliminary phase of Mark D Ball Women’s Basketball Championship, ended yesterday, with eight of the 16 teams that started the competition on Saturday, eliminated.

Tuesday’s Day 4 also saw the top teams posting wide margin victories, and dominant displays, on their way to the Quarterfinals.

First Bank of Lagos thrashed City Sparks of Makurdi 39-20;

Sunshine Angels of Akure outscored
Novena Queens of
Owerri 36-17;

MFM of Lagos needed double overtime to beat Hot Coal Sizzlers of Abuja 44-36;

IGP Queens were also too strong in their 42-18 mauling of
FCT Angels;

Air Warriors of Abuja
Crushed Taraba Haurricanes 42-17;

Nasarawa Amazons succombed 19-54 to Nigeria Customs.

But the last two Games were closely fought as Kada Angels of Kaduna overcame Delta Force of Asaba 28-19;

While the game between replacement team, Osun Pearls and
Plateau Rocks was decided in the last 10 Seconds, with the team from Jos winning it 38-37.

All four Quarterfinal Fixtures are to be played on Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2022; at the Indoor Sports Hall, located in Package B of the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, starting from 11am.

The Fixtures:
GP Queens Vs First Bank of Lagos.

Air Warriors of Abuja Vs Kada Angels of Kaduna.

Sunshine Angels of Akure vs Plateau Rocks of Jos.

MFM of Lagos vs Nigeria Customs.

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Fresh Ideas, Science Needed to Revitalise Basketball —ABA

Published

6 days ago

September 27, 2026

The Gleamer

Cyril Ogar

President/Founder, Amateur Basketball Academies, ABA, Aliyu Lucky Abubakar has called for a scientific and pragmatic approach to rediscovering the game of basketball in the North East.

The former player of many teams in Nigeria stated this on Saturday during training of coaches in Yola, Adamawa State.

Aliyu said the training is aimed to arm Coaches so they can, in turn, reach the children, especially those that ABA may not. The Deputy Comptroller in Nigeria Customs Service decried non-challant attitudes of the stakeholders in the development of basketball in the North East.

” Basketball is fading in the North East, and we at ABA will not allow it to die.”

“Adamawa was once a force in the game of basketball but had fallen behind. Our plan is to discover talent through coaching training, nurture it, and carry it from state level to the national team, and eventually, the global stage.” The basketball administrator said.

In his keynote message to the participants, which centered on the theme, “HOPE,” Harnessing opportunity, Organising for excellence, Promoting players’ development, and Empowering the next generation, Aliyu said, is far more than a drill instructors.

” Every child you see on a basketball court has a dream, and it is our job as a coach to spot it early and give it somewhere to go.” He concluded.

In his lecture titled, ” Who is a Coach”, Emmanuel Odah, the head Coach, FCT Basketball and former National Juniors team, described a coach as a committed, organised, affectionate, caring and humble.

” Commitment is consistency, and consistency is mother of progress; humility comes first because a coach who can not control himself can never control a game,” Odah insisted.

Other instructors at the training include ABA head of technical, Coach Adeka Daudu, as well as Coach Alexander Anyebe Ujoh, who spoke about the relationship between a coach and child in his care.

Coaches at the training commended ABA for its boldness to give hopes to basketball coaches all over the country. They promised that lessons learned would reshape and reset their mind on the job. They said the training will help them in understanding their role not only as an instructor but also grooming the children for a better future.

Among guests at the event include FCT Acting Director of Sports, Mr. Iyiola Ogundele and Bayelsa Veteran Basketball administrator, Coach Tony

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