The third edition of the Ibadan Basketball Championships got underway on Friday with Hoop Dreams, Showtyme Hoopers and Rising Stars some of the opening day winners.
The annual competition holding at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan has 12 teams participating.
Eight of the teams are in the male category, while four teams are in the female category.
The male teams are Hoop Dreams Nigeria, Liberty Spears, University of Ibadan Club, TTP Club, Showtyme Hoopers, Lion Club, Rising Stars and the Polytechnic Ibadan Club.
The female clubs are the Polytechnic Ibadan Club, Rising Stars Club, Hoop Dreams Club and Value Exchange Club.
Hoop Dreams which won the second edition after defeating Showtyme Hoopers began their title defense on a good note after beating Liberty Spears 50-32.
Temidayo Emmanuel, the coach of Hoop Dreams, said winning the game was what his players had prepared themselves for.
“The players are motivated to win and retain the title. The players have been consistent in practicing, and I had told my players that to become number one is easier than retaining the position.
“We’ve played our first game today, and we won with a margin of 18 points. This is a good way to start and will serve as a morale-booster for the players,” he said.
In another match played in the male category, Showtyme Hoopers whipped Lion Club 63-35.
The matches played in the female category had the Polytechnic Ibadan losing 9-21 to Rising Stars, while Hoop Dreams defeated Value Exchange 19-9.
The winners in the male category of the competition scheduled to end on Saturday will get N200,000 as prize money.
The first runners-up will get N100,000, while the second runners-up get N50,000.
The competition’s female category winners will get N100,000, while the first runners-up will get N50,000 and the second runners-up will get N30,000.
