Basketball

FIBA Lauds Nigeria Customs For Hosting Zone 3 Africa Basketball Championship

Published

3 years ago

December 3, 2023

Joel Ajayi

The Federation International Basketball Association (FIBA) FIBA has heaped huge praise on Nigeria Customs Service for accepting to host the Zone 3 Africa Basketball Tournament a qualifier for Females in Nigeria’s Nation’s Capital Territory.

The qualifiers tournament will have the host the Nigeria Customs Service team, ASPAC, MFM, and Airwarior teams slugging it out at the beautiful MO Basketball Arena Zone 5 in FCT

The five-day qualifying tourney commences on Saturday, the 2nd, and the technical meeting will end on Wednesday, the 6th of December, 2023.

Speaking at the technical meeting of the tournament held in Abuja on Saturday the President of Africa FIBA Zone 3 Col. Sam Ahmadu who was represented by the Vice President of FIBA Women’s Development of Africa Zone 3, Prof.Florence Adeyanju reaffirmed the FIBA’s commitment to a successful and trouble-free tournament with high expectations.

He called on all the participants to cooperate with the officials and channel their complaints to the right authorities to have a free and fair championship.

“On behalf of the FIBA Africa Zone 3 President, Col. Samuel Ahmadu, I want to thank the host of this competition, the Nigeria Customs Service for this laudable idea to host such an important Championship in Nigeria. As we look forward to a hitch-free tournament, I want to enjoin all the participating teams to cooperate with the organizer and channel their complaint to the right authorities.”

Speaking during the Technical meeting in Abuja on Saturday, the Chairman Local Organizing Committee, LOC and Athletic Federation of Nigeria Secretary, Samuel Onikeku assured of hitch free tournament.

He said that the Nigeria Customs Service women’s basketball team has been prepared and ready to pick one of the tickets to represent the zone in the final round of the qualifier in Egypt.

According to him, at the short notice, we have prepared our team and done everything to ensure they excel. This qualifier is just a stepping stone to Egypt. So, we hope that at the end of this championship, we will be able to qualify to go and represent the zone in Egypt

“This is another opportunity for Nigeria Customs Service to show that they will continuously support sports which underscores our performances in all sporting activities. The championship will bring a lot of attention to Nigeria, especially from the West African region.”

With the attention firmly on the MO basketball Arena, fans are gearing up for a basketball display that will shape the course of these teams’ journeys in the broader realm of women’s Basketball in the region.

However, the FIBA African Zone 3 qualifier promises to be a riveting showcase of skill, determination, and sportsmanship, highlighting the immense talent within the county.

After which two qualified teams will proceed to Cairo in Egypt to complete final round qualifications at the FIBA Africa Women’s Basketball League scheduled to take place in Egypt from December 8 to 17.

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Basketball

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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