Basketball
2017 Afrobasket Quarter Final Ticket Excites Sarah Ogoke
Having booked a quarter final qualification with two games left to be played in the group stages of the 2017 FIBA Afrobasket, D’Tigress point guard, Sarah Ogoke is feeling good about the tournament’s results so far for the team.
In a chat with the team’s media officer Oni Afolabi ahead of their fourth group game against Guinea on Tuesday at the Palais Des Sports Salamatou, Maiga, Bamako, the RC Celta Vigo of Spain player declared that they are exactly where they planned to be before the tournament started.
“We have won three matches and qualified for the quarter finals, we have a match against Guinea and the match that everybody is looking forward to against defending champions (Senegal) on Tuesday.”
Ogoke who started all the three games played so far by the team is optimistic that the team can maintain their momentum and finish top of group B housing defending champion-Senegal, Egypt, Democratic Republic of Congo and Guinea.
She admitted that the team under the guidance of Coach Sam Vincent may not be one of the biggest and tallest teams at the 2017 edition of the tournament which serves off as qualifiers for the 2018 FIBA World cup but they are definitely one of the teams to beat.
She believes that the team is the most balanced and technically sound side compared to other 11 countries who are vying for honors at the 2017 edition of the apex women competition in Africa.
“We have the deepest rooster and that has been one of our biggest attribute as a team. We can play fast for the whole 40 minutes because you know you have to give everything you have because somebody as good as you are is on the bench to replace you when you are tired.”
The D’Tigress regular who has averaged 10.3points so far in 3 games is looking forward to improving on her shooting accuracy and score more points for the team.
“Although, I am consistently shooting about 50% from the 3 point line right about now, I am looking forward to improving as the tournament progresses.
“Travel can affect you, the altitude, the food amongst other things that can contribute to your performance, but it’s a long tournament and I am looking forward to improving my shooting percentage,” Ogoke concluded.
Musa Kida, the president of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), has been appointed as a non-executive chairman of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), the country’s apex oil company. His appointment is part of the sweeping overhaul that the Nigerian president, Bola Tinubu made in the first working day after the Sallah break.
The sacking of the board of the NNPC sees the appointment of Bashir Bayo Ojulari as the new Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO), replacing Mele Kolo Kyari. Prior to his current appointment, Kida was the Deputy Managing Director, Deep Water Services, of Total Nigeria.
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Basketball
NSC DG Bukola Olopade Congratulates NBBF Boss Musa Kida for new appointment as NNPC Chairman
The Director General of the National Sports Commission NSC, Bukola Olopade, has congratulated the President of the Nigeria Basketball Federation, NBBF, Musa Kida, for his appointment as the new Board Chairman of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Olopade said Musa Kida has been one of Nigeria’s most efficient and Productive Sports administrators who has sacrificed a lot for the growth of Nigerian Basketball.
The DG maintained that his latest appointment is a testament to his years of passion, hard work, dedication and a very successful track record in the oil sector for more than two decades.
” Musa Kida is an accomplished administrator whose achievements cut across both the oil sector and Nigerian basketball. I have no doubt that the NNPC Limited will attain better efficiency and attract more investment under his watch”.
” Under his leadership as the President of the Nigeria Basketball Federation, we have seen the steady growth of the country’s basketball and how the National teams have continued to achieve new heights.
” At the last Olympic Games in France, the Nigeria Women’s Basketball team, D’Tigress was one of the shining stories for Team Nigeria, where they set a new record by making it to the knockout phase before losing to the United States”.
” I personally know the efforts behind the scenes that kida put in for Nigeria to achieve that feat with the girls in France and the Nigerian girls have been an unrivalled team on the continent for some time now”.
The DG added that he does not doubt that Musa Kida will use his new position to further earnest the development of Nigerian Sports especially basketball especially now that there is a new focus on growing a sustainable Sports Economy.
” Whilst the Oil sector will benefit immensely from the Expertise of Musa Kida as the new Board Chairman of the NNPC Limited, Mr President, has further helped to place Nigerian Sports in a better pedestal by putting one of us in a very strategic place like the NNPC”, he concluded.
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Basketball
FIBA names Nigeria’s Agada among those who starred the most on the last day of the 2025 AfroBasket Qualifiers
The 16 teams that will be competing at this year’s FIBA AfroBasket from 12-24 August have been confirmed, with some teams securing their places on the final day of qualifying.
A quintet of individuals put in stellar performances to send their teams to this year’s African championship in style.
Teams have 169 days to prepare for the 2025 edition of the AfroBasket set to be hosted by former champions Angola, who will be chasing a record-extending 12th title.
FIBA- Africa looked at the matches and the players and featured nine players who were the stars of the final day on Sunday.
Here is FIBA’s analysis: The return of the Tokyo Olympian has been a blessing for Abdulrahman Mohammed’s Nigeria.
For the second game in a row, Agada was a thorn in their side’s side, scoring 23 points in a convincing 77-62 win over 2021 AfroBasket semifinalists Cape Verde.
The 30-year-old played just over 30 minutes and finished two rebounds shy of a double-double while adding six assists and five steals for an efficiency rating of 29.
Nigeria entered the competition after an 0-3 start, but his disruptive presence on the floor helped them to a 3-0 run to qualify, averaging 19 points, 7.7 rebounds and 6.3 assists.
The other players highlighted are: Ousmane Drame of Guinea, Karim Maneof Senegal, Childe Dundao of Angola, Siriman Kanoute of Mali, as well as Ntore Habimana (Rwanda) Aliou Fadiala Diarra (Mali) Allan Dokossi (Central African Republic)and Nisre Zouzoua (Cote d’Ivoire)
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