Joel Ajayi

The Amateur Basketball Academies (ABA) has continued its nationwide grassroots basketball development initiative with a successful coaching clinic in Makurdi, Benue State, aimed at equipping academy coaches with modern coaching techniques and strengthening basketball development across Nigeria.

In a statement Signed by the Head, Media and Public Relations, Amateur Basketball Academies (ABA) Kayode Adeniyi said the total of 11 coaches from eight basketball academies participated in the one-day coaching clinic, themed “Team Work,” held at Royal Choice Hotel, GRA, Makurdi. The programme was the third in the series, following similar clinics in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Minna, Niger State.

The initiative is designed to promote grassroots basketball development, identify emerging talents, and equip coaches with updated rules, technical skills and tactical knowledge in line with international best practices.

Speaking during the clinic, the President and Founder of the Amateur Basketball Academies and Deputy Comptroller of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Aliyu Lucky Abubakar, urged participants to continually improve their knowledge and skills to remain competitive with their counterparts around the world.

He expressed concern over the current state of basketball development in Nigeria and called on stakeholders to put aside their differences in the interest of the game.

According to him, basketball should be viewed beyond recreation, with greater emphasis placed on talent identification, youth development, revenue generation and the long-term growth of the sport.

Abubakar stressed that the ABA initiative is non-political and was established to unite all stakeholders within the basketball community through the various academies across the country.

He further revealed that the nationwide coaching clinics will culminate in a major basketball championship later this year in Abuja, where outstanding talents from participating academies will be showcased while fostering greater collaboration among grassroots basketball programmes.

“ABA is committed to reviving and developing basketball in Nigeria through our ongoing nationwide enlightenment campaign and coaching clinics, which are aimed at strengthening grassroots participation in the sport,” Abubakar said.

As part of efforts to support the growth of the academies, the ABA President donated ₦400,000 to the Secretary of the Benue State Basketball Association to facilitate the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) registration of the eight academies that participated in the clinic.

Facilitators at the coaching clinic, including Coach Adeka Daudu, Coach Emmanuel Odah, Coach Oyekan and Coach Alex Ujoh, encouraged participants to embrace technology in player development and coaching methodologies to keep pace with global trends.

Participants and stakeholders commended the initiative, describing it as a timely intervention that would significantly enhance grassroots basketball development in Benue State. They pledged to apply the knowledge acquired during the training within their respective academies.

All 11 coaches who completed the programme received accredited ABA Certificates of Participation.

Meanwhile, members of the ABA Board visited Otukpo, Benue State, to observe the ongoing Inter-School Sports Festival and Summer Basketball Camp organised by the America-based Coach Peter Ahmedu’s AS Foundation Raising Champions.

Representing the Amateur Basketball Academies, Coach Adeka Daudu presented 10 basketballs in support of the camp, reaffirming the organisation’s commitment to nurturing young talents across the country.

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