Basketball
Olumide Oyedeji launches Generation Next Basketball Showcase
The Generation Next Basketball Showcase championship will commence Saturday, 17 September across four courts in Lagos state with Ilupeju court hosting the opening game. The Showcase phase which will last for six weeks will see teams divided into groups to play at basketball courts in Ilupeju, Ajegunle, Oworonshoki, and Ikorodu. It is coming just days after the completion of the Olumide Oyedeji Basketball Camp where over 400 kids were in attendance.
The program put together by the Olumide Oyedeji Youth Foundation will feature over 300 kids below the age of 17 years from basketball academies within Lagos State.
Speaking at the press conference which had the Director General of the Lagos State Sports Commission, Oluwatoyin Gafar in attendance, founder of OOYF, Olumide Oyedeji said
“Games will be played on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays for the next six weeks. Teams will be grouped according to their zones for ease of access”.
Following the conclusion of the Showcase mode, there will be a FINAL 4-WEEKEND and ALL STARS GAME alongside other activities before the Classic phase will commence with six franchises formed after a combined draft system.
“60 players from over 300 players who participated in the first phase will be selected into a draft pool. The selected players will undergo workouts, physical tests, and play games before getting drafted into teams,” Oyedeji revealed.
Speaking on the vision behind the initiative, Oyedeji said, “We wanted to provide a platform and opportunities for these kids to get ready for the next level, have a taste of professionalism, get them ready for High Schools and Colleges. Six outstanding players (off and on the court) at the competition lasting 16 weeks will be awarded scholarships to high schools and colleges depending on their age”.
The Lagos State Sports Commission DG, Oluwatoyin Gafar lauded the latest initiative. He said it is in line with the THEMES (Traffic Management and Transportation, Health and Environment, Education and Technology, Making Lagos a 21st Century Economy, Entertainment and Tourism, as well as Security and Governance) agenda of Lagos State under His Excellency, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
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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