ACC Zone-3: FIBA Africa Fix Qualifiers For November 5 to 11 In Cotonou

The 2015 Africa Champions Cup Zone-3 qualifier has been fixed for November 5 through 12 at the Stade L’Amite, Cotonou, Benin Republic.

The eight countries in the zone, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, Niger, Nigeria and Togo are expected to present two teams in the men and women categories.

According to the president of the zone, Sam Ahmedu, “teams are expected to arrive Cotonou on November 4 and depart on the 12th.

The qualifier is a prelude to the final round slated for Angola between November 27th and December 19th 2015.

Col. Sam Ahmedu FIBA Africa Zone-3 President

Zone-1 qualifier holds between November 3rd and November 7th in Tunisia, Cape Verde will stage the men’s qualifiers in Zone-2 from October 28th through 31st.

Zone-4 qualifiers for men and women clubs is scheduled for November 7 through 15th in Congo.

Zone-5 qualifiers have already been decided in Rwanda with Gezira basketball club of Egypt qualifying for the final round in the men’s category while Berco Stars of Burundi and KCCA of Uganda have qualified in the women’s category.

Zone-7 has also produced its qualifiers with ASCUT and SEBAM both of Madagascar booking their places for the final round while Zone-6 qualifiers will be decided in Angola between 29th October and 5th November.

Rasak Omotoyosi Endorses Lagos APC Governorship Candidate Akinwunmi Ambode

Nigerian Born beninose international Rasak omotoyosi Popularly called omogoal has thrown his weight behind the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate, Akinwunmi Ambode.

The Benin republic striker on Wednesday day flew in from his base in morocco to pay a visit to the APC gubernatorial candidate, Ambode.

Rasak Omotoyosi endorses APC Lagos Gubernatorial Candidates Akinwumi Ambode

Omotoyosi alongside friends visited APC’s campaign office in Lagos State on Wednesday shortly a ft dr. Arrival in the Country.

He said that was impressed with the good work that the APC had done in lagos states through the years which started do with the Former Governor of the state Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and continued with the outgoing governor of Lagos States governor Babatunde Raji Fasola,

Omotoyosi opined that the only logical thing to do for the advancement of Lagos State was to let Someone like Akinwunmi Ambode carry on the good work of moving Lagos forward.

Rasak Omotoyosi endorses APC Lagos Gubernatorial Candidates Akinwumi Ambode

The footballer donated branded shirts and other branded items to Ambode’s campaign, he also took some Akinwunmi Ambode branded shirts to turkey and morocco to share the gospel of change ahead of nigeria election with Nigerians in Diaspora and his his football teammates in morocco.

Seven Nigerian Referees Set To Get FIBA Badges.

Nigeria may weĺl boast of 10 FIBA referees by the end of October should Lagos referees Lai Alimi, olusegun Adekanmbi, Samuel Sofoluwe, Razak Okedeyi, Joseph Patrick alongside Musa Gambo from Kano and FCT referee Opeyemi Ogunleye succesfully complete the FIBA referee clinic and examination which starts from the 15th to 17th of October 2014.

The 3day assessment slated for Cotonou, Benin Republic, will see the Nigerian 7 regional referees join their other African collegues to be assessed on their knowledege on the newly revised 2014 Official Basketball rules approved by the FIBA central board as well as physical evaluation.

Today, Nigeria currently has 3 FIBA referees, Kingsley Ojeaburu who stands as the first Nigerian referee to officiate at any senior World organised event , when he arbitrated at the maiden FIBA World Cup in Spain in September. Oyo State’s Tunde Popoola and Yinka Famogbiyele from Osun State make up the Nigerian FIBA BIG 3.

Success for the seven,will mean Nigeria will have a total of 10 referees eligible to officiate both continental and international competitions come 2015.

Oluwafemi Adefeso

Nigeria’s Col. Ahmedu Emerges As FIBA Africa Zone-3 President

A former head of the FIBA Africa marketing committee and president Dodan Warriors Basketball Programme, Col Samuel Ahmedu (retd) has emerged the new president of FIBA Africa Zone-3 at the 16th Congress of FIBA Africa held in Antananarivo, Madagascar.

Ahmedu, who was formerly a member of the Nigeria Basketball Federation emerged president of Zone-3 after an initial 4-votes tie between him and the former Zone 3 president, Muktah Khaleh also of Nigeria who then stepped down to pave way for Ahmedu to be elected unopposed.

Khalehs gesture to step down, it was learnt, came after a series of meetings initiated by Nigeria Basketball Federation president Tijjani Umar with Ahmedu and other top FIBA World and FIBA Africa officials after which Ahmedu was given the all-clear by all eight delegates.

With that decided Nigeria remains in charge of basketball programmes in the zone which comprises Benin Republic, Togo, Ghana, Cote dIvoire, Nigeria, Liberia, Burkina Faso and Niger Republic.

However, Khaleh remains in the FIBA Africa board as he is now president of FIBA Africa Finance Council. He replaces Hamane Niang of Mali who is now president of the African basketball ruling body after the immediate past president Mabusa Eseka of Democratic Republic of Congo stepped down.

Other zone presidents elected at the 16th Congress of the continental body are; Zone-1, Omar El Barshushi of Libya emerged winner while Rokhaya Pouye of Senegal leads Zone-2. Juvenal Lufuma of DR Congo leads Zone-4, Hesha El Hariri of Egypt replaces Morris Aluanga in zone-5, Anibal Manave (Mozambique) zone-6 and Zone 6: Anibal Manave ( Mozambique) while Louis Abel Ntsay ( Madagascar) remains at the helm of zone-7.

Olusegun Ikuesan
NBBF MEDIA COMMITTEE

Flying Eagles pick Iheanacho, Musa Yahaya for Benin warm-up

The Nigeria U20 team have named a 20-man squad for Sunday’s warm-up match against their Benin Republic counterparts in Porto Novo.

Among those picked were the country’s heroes from last year’s FIFA U17 World Cup-winning team like Kelechi Iheanacho, skipper Musa Muhammed, Chidiebere Nwakali, Musa Yahaya, Taiwo Awoniyi, Abdullahi Alfa and Zaharadeen Bello.

Others on the squad are Alhassan Ibrahim aka Mu-azam, Wilfred Ndidi, Ifeanyi Matthew and goalkeeper Joshua Enaholo.

The test match will be played at Charles de Gaulle Stadium in Porto Novo from 4pm local time, which is the same time with Nigeria.

Both teams have clashed at the same level previously.

They drew 1-1 in Cotonou in September 2012 and a rematch in Abuja ended in a goalless draw.

Two players will then be dropped from the squad for the 2015 AYC qualifier in Tanzania in the weekend of May 9-11.

NFF executive committee member Shehu Adamu will lead the team to both Benin and Tanzania.

The full squad:

Goalkeepers: Joshua Enaholo, Adamu Abubakar, Abdulazeez Abubakar

Defenders: Musa Muhammed, Mustapha Abdullahi, Ifeanyi Nweke, Wilfred Ndidi, Izu Omego, Zaharadeen Bello

Midfielders: Chidiebere Nwakali, Musa Yahaya, Kelechi Iheanacho, Abdullahi Alfa, Akinjide Idowu, Wasiu Jimoh, Ifeanyi Matthew, Ifeanyi Ifeanyi

Strikers: Alhassan Ibrahim ‘Mu-azam’, Taiwo Awoniyi, Sulaiman Abdullahi

Double awards for Golden Eaglets…win Fair Play Award.. Goalkeeper Benjamin adjudged best

Officials and players of the National Under-17 team were full of smiles on Sunday after organisers of the WAFU B Tournament rewarded the Golden Eaglets with the Fair Play Award as well as crowning Amos Benjamin as the best goalkeeper.

While the Golden Eaglets were also adjudged as the best in terms o sportsmanship as they received less caution in their four matches, Benjamin received the best goalkeeper award for his outstanding display in all the team’s matches.

“Personally, I’m happy that Amos was picked as the best goalkeeper of the tournament because he has improved tremendously since he came into the camp “said goalkeepers’ trainer and former youth international,

Emeka Amadi. ” But more than anything else, I was impressed with his overall contribution to the success of the team and I think he can even get better. ” From the indices, he was outstanding because we have some other good goalkeeper at the tournament ;the Mali and Benin goalkeeper are equally good but I’m happy it was Benjamin that was picked as the best,” he noted.

In four matches, Benjamin conceded only a goal and his agility was there for all to see especially in the ill-fated 3-1 semi-finals’
penalty shoot-out loss to Benin. The product from Football College Abuja for instance, saved one-on-one situations against the rampaging Beninois to keep the score line at a respectable 1-1 draw in regulation time.

This is the second time that a Golden Eaglets’ goal-tender would be crowned the best at a tournament following the feat achieved by Dele Alampasu when the team won the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates last year.

In the meantime, the ‘little Squirrels’ of Benin were the overall winner of the tournament after their 2-1 victory over Mali in Sunday’s Final Match. The Golden Eaglets finished in third position after a 3-0 win over hosts, Togo in the play-off also decided on Sunday.