Basketball

Peak Invitational win important for our confidence- Nwora

Published

6 years ago

August 25, 2019

Peak Invitational win important for our confidence- Nwora

D’Tigers Head Coach, Alex Nwora says the Peak Invitational victory on Sunday against Montenegro could never have come at a better time for the team.

Nwora who led the team to its first-ever Peak Invitational title in Yangzhou which heralds the FIBA Men’s World Cup on Saturday, 31st of August said ending their preparation for the world cup with the victory was very important for the team’s confidence.

In a chat with NBBF Media from China, Nwora said, “Getting the win against Montenegro who on paper are way above Nigeria is a good step in the right direction. It shows that weeks of training have continued to yield the desired results for us as a team.”

The experienced coach who will be making his World Cup debut alongside all the players left in camp believed that the team has continued to improve which may have caught the attention of their group B opponents.

Despite shooting to an 8-5 points lead in the opening minutes of the game, the team lost the first quarter by 16-18 points against a Montenegro side ranked 28.

Second-quarter was no different from the first which saw Montenegro stretch the lead to 8 points with the quarter ending 36-44 points.

Second half took a different turn with master class performances from Ike Diogu, Ike Iroegbu and Jordan Nwora who were desperate to end their World Cup preparation on a winning note.

Nigeria took the lead and held on to it for the better part of the game as Nigeria ranked 33 in the world defeated Montenegro, 89-86 points.

Jordan Nwora led the team scorer’s chart with 19pts while Ike Iroegbu weighed in with 18pts. Capatin, Ike Diogu contributed 13points as the duo of Ekpe Udoh and Al-Farouq Aminu contributed 11pts and 10 pts respectively.

On Saturday, D’Tigers recovered from a 22 point deficit to force overtime before defeating World number 25, Poland 87-84 points.

During the pre-World Cup preparation, Nigeria (ranked 33) have beaten – Dominican Republic (twice) ranked 18 and Canada (No. 23)

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Basketball

Bauchi FA Chairman Patrick Pascal Honoured at Be Happy Basketball Tournament

Published

2 months ago

January 21, 2025

The Gleamer

Bauchi State Football Association Chairman, Patrick Pascal, was honored at the recently concluded Be Happy Basketball Tournament in Bauchi. The annual event, sponsored by former basketball international Danjuma Maijama’a Wunti, brought together over 13 basketball teams from across Nigeria for a week of exciting competition.

The 2025 edition of the tournament saw Suns Basketball Academy of Jos emerge as champions, clinching the top prize of ₦500,000. Adamawa Stars of Yola finished second, while Mak-Town Flyers of Makurdi claimed third place, earning ₦200,000 for their efforts.

Several standout players received individual accolades:

•   Most Valuable Player (MVP): Rayyan Salis (Suns Basketball Academy, Jos).
•   Most Improved Player: Modupe Lawrence (Mak-Town Flyers, Makurdi).
•   Best Defensive Player: Thomas Abo (Mak-Town Flyers, Makurdi).
•   Highest Scorer: Rayyan Salis (Suns Basketball Academy).
•   Best 3-Point Shooter: Solomon Iliya (Be Happy Stars, Bauchi).

Teams from across Nigeria took part, including Maktown Flyers (Makurdi), Joe Geez (Jos), Adamawa Stars (Yola), Gamji (Maiduguri), Elite Basketball Club (Takum), Suns Basketball Academy (Jos), Abba Gida Gida (Kano), Katsina United (Katsina), D Block Basketball Club (Kaduna), Yankari Kings (Bauchi), The Cubs Basketball Club (Bauchi), and Be Happy Stars (Bauchi).

Speaking on his recognition, Patrick Pascal expressed gratitude to the tournament sponsor, Danjuma Maijama’a Wunti, for his commitment to youth empowerment and development through sports. He praised the players for their remarkable display of skill and teamwork throughout the competition, highlighting the event’s importance in fostering talent and unity.

The Be Happy Basketball Tournament continues to grow in stature as a major platform for discovering and nurturing basketball talent across Nigeria.

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