Basketball

On June 12 We Stand, Says Tijjani Umar’s NBBF

Published

7 years ago

June 14, 2017

Alhaji Tijjani Umar is holding tenaciously to the mandate he got at the June 12 NBBF election in Kano.

Nigeria at the moment has two parallel bodies governing basketball. Sports Village Square recalls that on Monday, a faction held election in Kano which produced Tijjani Umar as its president.

The election took place 24 hours before the general election into the boards of 31 sports federations that was supervised by both the Nigeria Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Nigeria Olympic Committee.

The Abuja election produced Ahmadu Kida as the president. Meanwhile, the Kano elected NBBF board on Wednesday issued a media release which was also sent to the Sports Village Square.

In the statement signed by its media adviser, Patrick Omorodion, the board remarked that it followed due process to the letter in conducting its election of June 12.

“The Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) is in custody of the NBBF ratified Constitution and the election rules and regulation which the NOC made input into for the conduct of the election.

“Let it be known to all therefore that the NOC was fully aware and briefed on the intention of the NBBF to conduct its election according to its constitution which is the best practice around the world.

“In addition, the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) was consulted and it made input into the Constitution of the Federation before it was adopted and ratified by the Congress of the NBBF Annual General Meeting on 30 January, 2017.

“The Constitution is superior to any document guiding the NBBF in the conduct of its affairs and there are articles and clear provisions empowering the federation to conduct its election and stipulating the composition of the Board of the Federation.

“The Board as it is composed in the constitution is the most broad-based, covering the basketball technical bodies, players representative, women’s representative, members of the international bodies and one representative each from the six geo-political zones elected by their state chairmen.

“Having followed the provisions of its constitution and taking away basketball from the highest bidder, the new basketball board will not waste any precious time arguing with anyone trying to justify the legality or otherwise of the election in Kano or Abuja.

“It is a fact known to all that the Secretary General of the NOC who is aware of all these facts has betrayed the NOC family in Nigeria by pursuing an agenda that is not acceptable to the rest of the NOC Exco and Executive Board.

“In this circumstance, the newly elected NBBF Board led by Tijjani Umar and Olumide Oyedeji has forwarded to the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and all who should know a full report on the election and will await any action or decision from it”, read part of the press statement.

The statement continues: “In conclusion, it is our utmost duty to follow due process and the best way of doing things if we profess to love our game and country and it should never be difficult for any stakeholder to do or recognize what is right.

“It is on record that the Abuja elections of 13 June, 2017 were characterized by intrigues, irregularities, mischief and outright confusion and Nigeria does not deserve this.

“The NBBF will not contribute to this way of doing things and therefore appeal to the Media to also exercise great caution in publicising only positive stories that make Nigeria look good, honourable and respectable in the international community”.

Basketball

Angola’s Petro De Luanda Wins 2024 Basketball Africa League Championship

Published

2 months ago

June 2, 2024

Kunle Solaja

2024 Basketball Africa League (BAL) Champion Petro de Luanda (Angola) (Credit: BAL/Getty Images)

Petro de Luanda Becomes First Sub-Saharan African Team to Win BAL Finals (BAL.NBA.com); Libya’s Al Ahly Ly Forward Jo Lual-Acuil Jr. Named 2024 BAL Most Valuable Player and Defensive Player of the Year.
Angola’s Petro de Luanda this Sunday defeated Libya’s Al Ahly Ly 107-94 to win the 2024 Basketball Africa League (BAL) Championship, which took place at BK Arena in Kigali, Rwanda and reached fans in 214 countries and territories in 17 languages. Petro de Luanda, the 2022 BAL runner-up and one of two teams to have participated in all four BAL seasons, is the first sub-Saharan African team to win the BAL Finals after previous champions from Egypt and Tunisia.

Following the game, BAL President Amadou Gallo Fall and President of FIBA Africa Anibal Manave presented Petro de Luanda with the BAL Championship Trophy and Al Ahly Ly forward Jo Lual-Acuil Jr. with The Hakeem Olajuwon Trophy for winning the 2024 BAL Most Valuable Player Award and The Dikembe Mutombo Trophy for winning 2024 BAL Defensive Player of the Year.

Petro de Luanda went 5-2 during the Kalahari Conference group phase in Pretoria, South Africa, and the Playoffs, defeating Senegal’s AS Douanes and South Africa’s Cape Town Tigers in the quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively, to advance to the Finals. Nigeria’s Rivers Hoopers defeated the Cape Town Tigers 80-57 in the third-place game yesterday.

Lual-Acuil Jr. is also the 2024 BAL Scoring Champion and was named to the 2024 All-BAL First Team and All-BAL Defensive Team after leading Al Ahly Ly to a 5-4 record during the Nile Conference group phase in Cairo, Egypt, and the Playoffs, recording per game averages of 21.1 points, 9.9 rebounds and 1.6 blocks.

Several former NBA players attended games throughout the 2024 BAL Playoffs and Finals, including BAL Ambassadors and NBA Africa investors Luol Deng (South Sudan), Ian Mahinmi (France; ties to Benin) and Joakim Noah (grandfather from Cameroon); 2015 NBA champion Festus Ezeli (Nigeria), and New York Knicks President of G League Operations Pops Mensah-Bonsu (Ghana).

The BAL has also announced the 2024 Coach of the Year, Sportsmanship Award winner, All-BAL First Team, All-BAL Defensive Team, and Ubuntu Award winner. The voting panels varied for each award and were comprised of fans, coaches, team captains, media, broadcasters, and scouts.

2024 BAL Coach of the Year
Rivers Hoopers head coach Odaudu Ogoh led his team to a third-place finish with a 6-3 record during the Sahara Conference group phase in Dakar, Senegal, and the Playoffs.

2024 BAL Sportsmanship Award
Rivers Hoopers point guard Will Perry received The Manute Bol Trophy for exemplifying the ideals of sportsmanship and camaraderie. Perry was also named to the 2024 All-BAL First Team.

2024 All-BAL First TeamPositionPlayerTeamPoint GuardWill PerryRivers HoopersGuardSamkelo CeleCape Town TigersGuardChris CrawfordUS MonastirForwardJo Lual-Acuil Jr.Al Ahly LyForward / CenterAliou DiarraFUS Rabat Basketball
2024 All-BAL Defensive TeamPositionPlayerTeamPoint GuardSouleyman DiabateAl Ahly LyGuardSamkelo CeleCape Town TigersGuardAbdoulaye HarounaAS DouanesForwardJo Lual-Acuil Jr.Al Ahly LyForward / CenterAliou DiarraFUS Rabat Basketball
2024 BAL Ubuntu Award
AS Douanes guard and team captain Alkaly Ndour won the 2024 BAL Ubuntu Award in recognition of his ongoing efforts to use the game of basketball to positively impact the lives of youth in his native Senegal. Ndour is the founder of “Kayelennioufo” (which translates to “Let’s have fun”), a basketball tournament for nearly 250 amateur players in his home neighbourhood of Bopp in Dakar. Ndour was presented with the 2024 BAL Ubuntu Trophy during an on-court ceremony on May 25 in conjunction with Africa Day.

Basketball

Nigeria’s Rivers Hoopers Advance to 2024 BAL Playoffs

Published

2 months ago

May 13, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Five Hoopers players scored in double digits with Devine Eke (18 points, 18 rebounds) and Peter Olisemeka (17 points, 19 rebounds) dominating the boards

Nigeria’ Rivers Hoopers beat Rwanda’s Armée Patriotique Rwandaise (APR) 78-71 in the first-ever BAL (https://BAL.NBA.com) double-overtime game and became the first Sahara Conference team to clinch a spot in the BAL Playoffs which are set to tip off at BK Arena in Kigali, Rwanda on May 24.

Five Hoopers players scored in double digits with Devine Eke (18 points, 18 rebounds) and Peter Olisemeka (17 points, 19 rebounds) dominating the boards as well. Will Perry added 11 points and seven assists in a low scoring affair in which both teams shot less than 40 percent from the floor.

Jean Jacques Nshobozwabyosenumukiza led APR with 16 points and five rebounds, while Dario Hunt finished with 15 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists. Going into today’s matchups, APR is currently second in the Sahara Conference and will look to secure a postseason berth when they take on Senegal’s AS Douanes (4^th place with 2 wins and 3 losses) this evening.

In the second game of the day, the 2022 BAL champions Tunisia’s US Monastir kept their playoff hopes alive, defeating AS Douanes 75-69 and getting their second straight win in the competition. This is a turnaround for the Tunisian champions who started the Sahara Conference from three straight defeats, but now stand one win away from the postseason. Chris Crawford led Monastir with 18 points and seven assists, Oussama Marnaoui scored 16, and Firas Lahyani finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Abdoulaye Harouna led the Douanes with 22 points, with Adama Diakhite adding 14 points and nine rebounds.

APR, AS Douanes and US Monastir will compete for the last two playoff spots when the Sahara Conference concludes this afternoon – Rivers Hoopers will take on US Monastir at 2:30 p.m. GMT and AS Douanes will face APR at 5:30 p.m. GMT.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Basketball Africa League (BAL).

Basketball Africa League (BAL)

Basketball

NBBF Final Four: We are In Port Harcourt to win, says Gboko City Chiefs

Published

8 months ago

November 22, 2023

Kunle Solaja

Gboko City Chiefs making presentation to Chris Green

The General Manager of Gboko City Chiefs Basketball Club, Fanen Iornem says they are in Port Harcourt to win the NBBF Final Four championship.

Iornem, who stated this on Wednesday during a courtesy visit to the Rivers Commissioner for Sports, Barr Chris Green, stressed that the team was ready for any opposition.

He opined that Gboko City Chiefs have bonded together sufficiently and are in high spirits to overcome opposing teams and land the title.

According to him, “I will just tell straight forward that we are here to win; in as much as bookmakers might want to say anything, we are happy that everybody is looking at us like the 4th team because this is our second season in NBBF league but we are here to win with the calibre of the players we have, we have everything we need to succeed.”

On basketball in Nigeria, the GM said that the level was high but was quick to add that there is the need for more championships and longer period of playing to improve the game.

Reiterating the GM’s position, Team captain, Antibas Samaila and Centre, Bright Osagie Akhuetie both said they were ready to give their all and were not scared of any team

While welcoming the team to Rivers State, Chris Green expressed delight that the final four championship was taking place in Port Harcourt and assured that necessary facilities and associated logistics have been put in place to enable hitch competition.

While explaining that basketball was is first love in sports, he noted that the State would be making best of the final four championship to prove the dominance of Rivers Hoopers amongst other teams.

Said he: We have in place what is probably the best basketball court in Nigeria as at today. We have done everything possible to ensure a great atmosphere for everybody.

“I am happy that the final four is here. There will be a level playing ground for every team, let basketball be the winner. Rivers Hoopers is the home of basketball in Nigeria and we have always been winning. I want to welcome every team to Rivers State.”