2015 Nigerian Sports Award: Nomination Thrills Oguchi

Having been nominated in two categories of this year’s prestigious Nigerian Sports Award, 2015 Afrobasket Most Valuable Player (MVP), Chamberlain Oguchi believes his consideration for the award has indeed humbled him.

Oguchi, who plies his trade with Anwil Basketball Club in the Tauron Basketball League of Poland, said his nomination showed that Nigerians really appreciate D’Tiger’s efforts to bring honours to Nigeria at the 2015 Afrobasket Championship.

“I am honoured and humbled to be nominated for Ball Sportsman of the Year and Sportsman of the Year. It would mean the world to win these awards. I want to thank the Nigerian public for recognizing me, and I hope to wear these awards proudly in representation of the 170 million plus Nigerian inhabitants as well as Nigerians across the world,” he said.

He also lauded the organizers of the Nigerian Sports Award for the initiative to recognize and reward athletes that have done Nigeria proud across the globe.

Nigeria Sports Awards

Oguchi and 2014 ITTF Star Player, Aruna Quadri are both nominated for the Ball Sports Award and the Sportsman of the Year award while Oguchi will also be competing against his teammate, Olumide Oyedeji in the Ball Sports category alongside Quadri.

The Coach of the National Men’s Basketball team, William Voight will be competing with Are Feyisetan, Nigerian Powerlifting Coach and the Women Cycling Coach, Bashir Mohammed for the Coach of the Year category.

Nigerian Wrestler, Boltic Sinivie, tackles Efe Ajagba (Boxer) and Henry Hendrix (Kungfu) are the top three nominees for the Combat Sports Person of the Year while Awoniyi Taiwo (Footballer),Kelechi Nwanaga (Javeline), Amusan Tobiloba (Hurdles) top nominations for the Discovery of the Year category.

In the Football category, Asisat Oshoala, Desire Oparanozie and Ngozi Okobiare contesting for the Footballer of the Year (Women) category while Odion Ighalo, Ahmed Musa and the top scorer, in the ongoing 2015 GLO Nigeria professional football league, Tunji Adeniji are the top nominees for the Footballer of the Year (Men).

World record breakers at the just concluded African Games, Yakubu Adesokan, Loveline Obiji, will slug it out with Lovina Onyegbule for the Special Sports Person of the Year while the President of the Nigerian Wrestling Federation, Daniel Igali battles Director General of the National Sports Commission, Yakmut Alhassan for the Sports Administrators of the Year category.

Weightlifter, Balqis Otunla tackles Loveline Obiji and Lovina Onyegbule for the Sports Woman of the Year award while Yakubu Adesokan, Chamberlain Oguchi and Aruna Quadri are the top three nominees for the Sports Man of the Year.

For the School Sports Award, Eyeanugie Primary School, Edo state, winners of the Channels kid cup award, 2015, Rochas Okorocha Foundation College, winners of Shell cup 2015 battles the former winner of the category, Greensprings College for the award.

Chamberlain Oguchi

The Nigerian Men Basketball Award team, D’Tigers, the Women Cycling Team and Beach Volleyball team are the three top nominees for the Team of the Year category.

Kelechi Nwanaga (Javeline), Uke Claire (Discuss),Tosin Oke (Triple Jump) a gold medalist at the just concluded All African Games are the top three contenders for the Track and Field Star of the year whileMariam Usman battles Balqis Otunla for the weightlifter of the Year award.

The public voting for Sportsman and Sportswoman which commenced on Wednesday 7th of October 2015 and will close on Sunday 15th November 2015. Members of the public are expected tosend SMS SMOTY for Sportsman of the Year or SWOTY for Sportswoman of the Year and the name of the athlete to 33140 or nominate through twitter using the hashtag #SWOTY or #SMOTY and the name of choice winner to @ngrsportsaward.

The 2015 Nigerian Sports Award event is schedule to hold on Friday, November 20, 2015 at the Marquee, Oceanview, Eko Hotel , Lagos.

FCT SWAN Salutes D’Tigers

The FCT Chapter of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, SWAN, has congratulated Nigeria senior men’s basketball team, D’Tigers, for lifting the 2015 AfroBasket trophy and also qualifying for the basketball event of the 2016 Olympic Games.

Chairman of the body, Kayode Adeniyi said all SWAN members in Abuja are full of joy for the D’Tigers and the leadership of the Nigeria Basketball Federation, NBBF, for emerging as African champions.

“We really rejoice with D’Tigers and the NBBF board for spearheading the team that brought back basketball glory to Nigeria. We congratulate them and the entire basketball family in Nigeria.”

Nigeria beat Angola 74-65 in the Final of AfroBasket 2015 in Rades, Tunisia on Sunday to claim their first-ever continental championship.

In being crowned African champions, Nigeria also qualified for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. Meanwhile, second-place Angola joined third and fourth place Tunisia and Senegal in booking their places for the 2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments.

NBBF Appoints Tari Preh U-16 Men’s Team Coach

The Nigeria Basketball Federation, NBBF has selected former International and Ahmadu Bello University basketball icon, Tari Preh to be the head coach of the National U-16 team preparing for the 2015 Afrobasket taking place in Bamako, Mali from 30 July to 8 August, 2015.

He will be assisted by 2013 Afrobasket assistant coach, Ogoh Odaudu. Some young coaches will be invited to understudy the coaching crew as part of the mentorship and succession plan of the federation.

The team are expected to report to camp in Abuja shortly.

Only last week the U-16 women left for Antananarivo, Madagascar, where they are participating in the on-going 2015 Afrobasket U-16 Championship.

Nigeria pulled out of age grade competitions four years ago to check the rampant age falsification scam which has hampered the growth of legitimate talents in the country and which the federation is now working with stakeholders, especially coaches and their umbrella association to tackle.

The NBBF plans also to look out for agents and scouts involved in this deplorable act.

Dominant D’Tigress Qualify for 2015 Afrobasket/AAG.

After a dominant 20 points win in the 1st leg on Thursday in Abidjan, the Nigerian Female national team sealed qualification for the 2015 Afrobasket for Women/ All African Games later this year with an emphatic 88-43 points win over Cote d’ivoire in the 2nd round match at the Palais du Sport in Abidjan.

The D’Tigress was powered to victory by Uju Ugoka’s 14 points, with captain Helen Ogunjimi and Primeiro Agosto point guard, Sarah Ogoke adding 13 points each in an impressive display on the night that saw the D’Tigress claw past the female Elephants with ease.

The Scott Nnaji lead Ladies took charge from the jump ball, taking a 10 points lead in the opening 10 minutes (25-15), then extended their lead to 47-27 at half time.

Nigeria’s women Basketball National team D’TIGRESS, photo credit Atosu Upe Esther

D’Tigress ended any hopes of a comeback for the female Elephants of Cote D’ivoire in the 3rd quarter outscoring them 26-9 to pull up an unassailable 71-36 points lead going into the 4th quarter. Closing the deal with a 17-6 points scoreline in the final 10 minutes.

First Bank Basketball club point guard Atosu Upe also had an electrifying night scoring 12 points alongside sparkling Ndidi Madu who also put up 12 points.

Nigeria has now booked a date with Angola, Senegal, Algeria, the qualifier from FIBA Africa Zone 2 and yet to be named wild card entry in group B of the 2015 Afrobasket in Yaounde, Cameroun come September 22-3rd October for a battle for a 3rd African title and a ticket to the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.

Femi Adefeso

NBBF Throws D’Tigers Coach Job Open…,

Tijjani Umar. NBBF President

The Nigeria Basketball Federation ( NBBF ) after the board meeting on Sunday stated that the coaching job of the National men’s team open for application.

The board unanimously agreed to this decision after due consultation with the technical committee to open the door to any coach interested to lead the D’Tigers to the defense of their All African Games title and the 2015 FIBA Africa Basketball championship in Tunisia.

The coaches interested in job are to submit there application to the Nigerian Basketball Federation secretariat and the best candidate will be selected after interviews have been conducted.

According to the President of the Nigerian Basketball Federation, Mr Tijjani Umar, the national team gaffer selection will be based on merit as the team hopes to make a return to the Olympics in Rio 2016 by coming tops at the 2015 Afrobasket in Tunisia, having made their debut at the Olympics in London 2012 via the Olympic Qualifying event in Venezuela.

…National Teams to Camp in Nigeria

The NBBF President also revealed after the meeting that the Men’s and women’s national team will camp in Nigeria ahead of the All Africa Games and the 2015 Afrobasket for men and women.

Mr Umar stated that the teams will be camped in Abuja ahead of their continental showpiece,so as to bring a level playing field for both the foreign and home based players to compete for a place on the team and also practise in the African atmosphere ahead of the tournaments.

The NBBF President also disclosed that a two man task force including himself and the Vice President of the federation, who doubles as the chairman of the Technical committee, Mr Muktar Khaleh will travel to the US to interface with the US based players and organise friendlies and prospective training tour hosts ahead of the competitions.

Tijjani Umar. NBBF President

He said:

” We already have friendly matches and pre-tournament competitions mapped out in Europe and in China but we will also plan have a training tour in the United States even though we will camp in Abuja”.

The task force will leave for the United States as soon as the Women’s qualification tournament in Abidjan on May 30th”. He added.

The national basketball team has always had his camping in the US in the last decade or so and it’s about time the players wherever they are based come to the country and give the fans an opportunity to get to know and interact with them.

The resumption date for the D’Tigers will be announced in due course having already qualified for the Afrobasket and All African Games while the D’Tigress (the female national team) will resume camp this week as they prepare to battle for qualification to the continental showpieces from the 26th to 30th of May against the likes of Cote d’ivoire, Ghana and Liberia in Abidjan. The invited players and coaches of the female national camp will be announced after the conclusion of the 1st Phase of Zenith Bank Female Basketball League.

D’Tigers Seal Continental Deals In Lagos

D’Tigers of Nigeria in action against Burkina Faso

Nigeria sealed qualification to the 2015 FIBA Africa Basketball championship in Tunisia and the All African Games in Congo with a 63-50 victory over Burkina Faso in the 2nd Leg of the qualifiers at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National stadium in Surulere, Lagos.

The D’Tigers who won the 1st leg by 23 points in Ouagadougou jumped off the starting block in style, in front of the ecstatic Lagos crowd with an 8 points lead in the 1st quarter with the score line at 18-10 points.

D’Tigers of Nigeria in action against Burkina Faso

Though missing a couple of free throws in the 2nd quarter, the D’Tigers extended their lead 32-17 to go on the half time break with a 15 points lead thanks to good offensive display.

It was a tougher game for the host after the break as the Burkinabes’ gave a tough fight in the 2nd half winning both the 3rd and 4th quarters 15-14 and 18-17 points respectively. However, a relentless Nigerian side held on for the much needed victory to keep the 2016 Rio Olympics dream alive, which the 2015 Afrobasket will act as qualifiers.

Burkina Faso’s Men Basketball team

Burkina Faso’s Moussa Ouattara lead the floor on the night with 12 points and 11 rebounds in the losing effort with no Nigerian player recording double digits.

However, Azuoma Dike, Abdulwahab Yakubu and Abdulwahab Yahaya all finished with 9points apiece with Azuoma adding 6 rebounds to his tally. And Nigeria’s only home based player at the 2013 FIBA Africa Basketball Championship (Afrobasket) in Abidjan , Stanley Gumut giving a performance reminiscent of the performance that got him a national call up putting up 8 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 assists and captain Olumide Oyedeji adding 6 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 assists.

Olumide Oyedeji, Captain D’Tigers Of Nigeria speaking with the media after the game

Nigeria is now joins 13 other qualified countries – Angola, Egypt, Cote d’ Ivoire, Cameroon, Mali, Morocco, Uganda, Cape Verde, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Gabon, Congo and host Tunisia- for her 17th appearance at FIBA Africa Championship built for the cities of Nabuel and Hammamet, Tunisia from the 20th-30th August 2015 vis-a-vis the 11th All African Games scheduled for September 4-19th in Congo Brazzaville.

NOC Congratulates D’Tigers…

NOC Congratulates D’Tigers, Task Qualification….

The President of the Nigeian Olympic Committee Engr. Habu Gumel has sent a congratulatory message to the camp of the Nigerian men’s national team ahead of their 2nd leg clash against Burkina Faso on Wednesday.

In the letter addressed to the Nigerian Basketball Federation, Engr Gumel said

” The Board and Members of the Nigeria Olympic Committee congratulate you and the entire Basketball Family on your outstanding performance in the 4 Nations Invitational Championship that took place in South Africa”.

We hope this achievement will open doors to more successes in the future tournaments and particularly the qualifiers for the 2015 Afrobasket and All African Games in Tunisia and Congo Brazzaville respectively.

Nigeria beat Burkina Faso 83-57 in Ouagadouguo in the 1st leg , and will hope to seal qualification to both continental showpiece in Lagos, at the National stadium on Wednesday.