Basketball
FIBA U-16 AFRICA CHAMPIONSHIP: NIGERIA QUALIFIES FOR QUARTERFINALS
Nigeria moved a step closer to qualifying for the 2020 FIBA U-17 world Cup in Bulgaria with a 90-57 points win over Angola on Tuesday at the ongoing FIBA u-16 Africa Championship in Praia, Cape Verde.
Nigeria who lost to Angola in the 2009 and 2015 edition of the competition ensured they came out smoking to set the records straight as they dominated proceedings for the better part of the game.
With a dominance which spanned 38:20 minutes, Nigeria led throughout the four quarters, 20-11, 26-12, 22-19, 22-15 to coast to their first win over Angola at the u-16 level.
An improved field goal of 38% ensured that the team became the highest point scorer in a single game in the 2019 edition reaching the 90 points mark.
Farouk Isah was at the heart of everything good for Nigeria on the night scoring 27 points, five steals, four rebounds and one assist.
Precious Ikpe contributed 19 points, three rebounds and two steals while Joy Ighovodjia and Bormini Victor Dennis scored 14 and 13 points respectively.
Speaking after the game, head coach of the team Fubara Onyenabo said the result was far from what he expected but was an indication of potentials in the team and their readiness to learn.
“I knew we would beat them but I didn’t expect a 33 point margin. It simply goes to show that the boys were attentive during our sessions”
He described the result which is the highest point scored by any team so far in the competition.as deceptive because the game was tougher that it looked on paper.
Nigeria are currently second on the group table with five points behind leaders Egypt on six points.
The team will play its final group game against Algeria who are yet to record a win in the competition later today by 5pm Nigerian time.
Last time Nigeria participated in the FIBA U-16 African Championship was in 2015 where they finished fifth. Best outing for the team was a bronze medal finish in 2009.
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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