Basketball
southeast zone condemns withdrawal from international basketball
The South East Basketball Association representing all the South East basketball chairmen has condemned the withdrawal of Nigerian basketball from international competitions. The zone made up of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo commiserates with all players local and abroad that the actions of the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare have and will affect.
For a fact, the Nigerian national teams are dominated by South East players. Hence, the withdrawal will adversely affect the zone. Without any contradiction, the South East Basketball association is 100 per cent behind the Nigeria Basketball Federation and its President, Musa Ahmadu Kida who in the last four years have built an enviable basketball dynasty.
It is no mean feat that D’Tigers and D’Tigress have become the two best teams in Africa and the top 10 globally, which calls to question the Minister’s decision to suspend the best sports federation in Nigeria?
The only federation to qualify the men’s and women’s teams for the 2020 Olympics built the most robust grassroots program in the history of the game with the first-ever Division One and Two tournaments sponsored by TotalEnergies Nigeria.
It has also been the first-ever time the South East as a block participated in any grassroots event and the first time a South East team, ‘Coal city Miners’ featured in the premier league ‘THE PRESIDENTS CUP’.
The South East believes the actions of the minister are politically motivated, a witch hunt, and not a sports-related decision as all excuses lack any justifications cooked up as a defence to the withdrawal.
Hence, the South East will not support or participate in any ‘manufactured’ programs from the Federal Ministry of Sports.
It is already well known that they have sent their co-conspirator acolytes of the Igoche Mark group to raise fake teams to participate in phantom events on behalf of the South East.
The South East will be convening an urgent meeting to find creative ways to keep our players engaged and motivated during what will be a gloomy period for Nigerian basketball.
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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