Basketball
Stakeholders Commend ABA as League Nears Knockout Stage
Cyril Ogar
The basketball courts at Package B of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, have become a hive of activity as the inaugural Amateur Basketball Academies (ABA) League, tagged “2026 Abuja ABA League,” enters its crucial knockout stage.
With more than 500 young players competing daily, the tournament is providing a major platform for grassroots basketball development and talent discovery, while offering participants an opportunity to compete for one of the most coveted grassroots sports trophies.
In a statement signed on Wednesday in Abuja by the Head of Media and Publicity of the Amateur Basketball Academies, Kayode Adeniyi, the organisers said the competition had continued to attract coaches, scouts, officials and basketball enthusiasts since its commencement.
The league features 20 academy clubs, comprising 20 boys’ teams and 20 girls’ teams, all battling for honours while showcasing their skills, energy, determination and competitive spirit.
Among the stakeholders impressed by the competition are former Nigerian international basketball player and grassroots basketball promoter, Sam Oguche, and Abdulmajid Solademi, founder of Air Warriors Basketball Club.
Both basketball personalities commended the maiden ABA League, describing it as a significant step towards reviving grassroots basketball development in Nigeria.
Speaking on the sidelines of the competition, Solademi said the league had renewed his optimism about the future of Nigerian basketball, particularly because of its emphasis on discovering and nurturing young talents.
“I think this is absolutely incredible. When I saw it, I began to feel that we have a future in basketball because of what they are doing,” he said.
According to him, Nigeria’s large population should translate into a bigger pool of talented basketball players capable of competing successfully at continental and international levels.
Oguche, who has been present at the championship since its opening day, stressed the need for more structured grassroots competitions such as the ABA League to give young players regular playing opportunities and prepare them for professional basketball.
“This is the opportunity everybody needs to grab. The young players need to take advantage of it because opportunities do not come every day,” he said.
He urged the participating players to take the competition seriously and maximise the opportunity provided by the platform.
Both basketball promoters also praised the ABA for involving grassroots coaches, noting that the growing interest in the league could help expose both players and coaches while attracting more stakeholders to the development of basketball.
They called on individuals, corporate organisations and other stakeholders to support initiatives such as the ABA League, describing it as a promising platform capable of producing the next generation of Nigerian basketball stars.
Meanwhile, the Founder and President of the Amateur Basketball Academies, Aliyu Lucky Abubakar, a Deputy Comptroller of the Nigeria Customs Service, expressed satisfaction with the quality of competition witnessed so far.
Abubakar said sustained competition, early talent identification and proper player development could create a stronger pipeline of players for professional clubs, domestic leagues and Nigeria’s national teams.
“From what I have witnessed since Saturday, I can conveniently say that the future of basketball in Nigeria is not tomorrow; the future is being built today,” he said.
With the preliminary stage drawing to a close, attention has now shifted to the weekend when the last eight teams will emerge.
The organisers expressed optimism that the ABA League would grow into a sustainable grassroots development platform capable of discovering, nurturing and producing the next generation of Nigerian basketball talents.
Basketball
Fresh Ideas, Science Needed to Revitalise Basketball —ABA
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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