Basketball
Lagos, Osun Record Wins In Day 1 of Rising Stars U17 Girls Basketball Championship
Osun, Lagos and Ogun started the inaugural Southwest Rising Stars U17 Girls Basketball Championship on winning notes.
Osun whitewashed Ekiti girls 45-29 in the tournament opening match before the hosts, Lagos handed a ten-point gap defeat to Oyo in the second match. Ogun however, edged Ondo 24-26 in the last match on Friday.
Meanwhile, the organiser has announced that Saturday will be a rest day while three matches will be played as action resumes on Sunday.
In the Day 2 fixtures, Oyo U17 Girls will look forward to restore hopes when they file out against Ogun as in-form Osun, the table topper are ready to consolidate on their performance when they lock horns with Ondo in the second match.
Ekiti State will look forward to bounce back from their loss when they face Lagos in the last game on Sunday.
Adetayo Awojoye, Ekiti State U17 Girls coach is not ruling out their chances of winning the title. He’s optimistic of picking maximum points against Lagos when they meet on Sunday.
“We are pained to have lost the first match but we have learnt a lot from it and that will serve as enabler to win our next matches and move on to the final.
“We are here for the trophy and we will not allow the loss to discourage us but rather use it to our advantage by winning our opponents on the road to final.”
Also speaking, the former captain of D’Tigers, Olumide Oyedeji, founder Olumide Oyedeji Youth Foundation was satisfied with the performances of the players and commended Lagos State Sports Commission for their support.
“I am happy that the competition meets the expectations.” The president of Nigeria Olympians Association (NOA) told journalists.
He added, “Yes, the girls put up good fights against each other. I am impressed with I saw today. That showed the level of talents Nigeria has. All they need is a platform like this for them to develop their skills, gain experience and become better in the game.
“I want to commend Lagos State Sports Commission for their support and also those who have rendered one support or the other in making this inaugural edition possible.” He concluded
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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