The Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), in collaboration with Alpha Plus Mega Concepts, has concluded arrangements to hold an elite basketball championship for schools around the FCT between November 14 and 23 in two phases.
The competition which will hold among 15 elite schools within the FCT to begin with, will see the first phase dunk off November 14 to 16 while the second phase takes place between November 21 and 23.
The championship powered by US-based Alpha Plus Mega Concepts and sanctioned by the NBBF is aimed at talents discovery tailored towards bridging the gap between talent, education and good health.
The NBBF President, Tijjani Umar stated at a press briefing at the indoor hall Package B of the Abuja National Stadium on Monday to herald the Abuja Elite Private Schools Basketball Classics said the federation is supporting the initiative because it wants to build on its recent successes in age grade tournaments so as to build a lasting basketball dynasty in Nigeria and Africa to dominate the continent.
He said with the continuous and sustained effort from the National Sports Commission (NSC) the federation was already reaping gains in the development of the game at the age grade level. He said plans are already on ground to work with secondary schools across the country to nurture and bring talents to the national stage – hence the support to the initiative put together by the US-based company interested in working with secondary school students with the sole purpose of discovering and nurturing of future basketball stars.
According to the NBBF boss, the best place to invest in basketball in Nigeria is in secondary schools. “Our plan is not to sell players but discover and put them in the right place, exposed to right coaching and put together a synergy that will see them graduate into materials that will feed the national teams so as to keep our national teams alive where aging and retiring players get ready replacements.
Embracing this initiative shows clearly that we are ready as a board to expand our horizon, open the space and partner with whoever has good intentions for young players for basketball development. Indeed we invite such persons to come in.”
The chief executive officer of Alpha Plus Mega Concepts, Tony Ujadughele, organizers of the “Abuja Elite Private Schools Basketball Classics” said it is time to take the game of basketball back to secondary schools. He stated that Nigeria was a country with abundant of talents begging to be discovered and nurtured for stardom.
Ujadughele said the major problem with Nigeria was not talents but facilities saying schools in Nigeria operate without commensurate facilities to help young players develop their talents in basketball. “We don’t need to cheat to excel and we must develop our kids when they are young so that we get it right from the early years.”
Ujadughele who describes basketball as a billion dollar industry, called for private sector participation in the sport in Nigeria.
“With this project on ground, we hope to establish a Nigeria High School team where young basketball players would be nurtured and taken to the United States to play against High School and College teams over there. Our goal is to invite universities from the US to come here and pick our kids for further studies and good career path,” he said.
He called on the support of the media to promote the game adding that sports cannot be separated from education.
The general manager, marketing, NICON Insurance Limited of Nigeria, supporters of the championship, Akinsola Ale said his company is supporting because they want to be part of an initiative that will safeguard the future of the kids and help them compete with the best leagues in the world through the classics.
Twenty four teams (12 boys, 12 girls) are expected to participate in the two-week long event. Schools lined up for the tournament include Capital Science School, Christ The King College, Funtaj, International Community School, Kingsville and Loyola Jesuit.
Others are Pacesetters Academy, Premier Academy, Royal Family Academy, Regina Pacis and Nigerian Turkish International College. To conclude the list are Raberto, Saint Augustine, Christ the King Gwagwalada and a yet to be named school.
