Dodan, Mark Mentors, 6 Others Seal Play-off Places…

2014 Nigeria DStv Premier Basketball League Week 13 Results

DSTV Week 13 Results:

Frank Okafor in jersey No 8 of Police Baton going for a lay-up against Dodan Warriors player during the 2014 Nigeria DStv Premier

Atlantic Conference

Islanders 67-61 Union Bank

Oluyole 95-73 Customs

Royal Hoopers 100-67 Kwara Falcons

Dodan Warriors 83-64 Police Baton

Savannah Conference

Plateau Peaks 73-49 Immigration

Mark Mentors 89-63 Bauchi Nets

Niger Potters 42-37 Gombe Bulls

Kada Stars 53-92 Kano Pillars

With only just one more round of games to go in the Regular Season the Playoff places are now complete, while it might rosy for the top four teams four teams in both the Savannah and Atlantic Conferences, what left now is the relegation battle between teams that are trying to beat the drop.

While that will come to fore on the last day of the league, here is the List of teams that have made it to the Play-offs

UNION BANK, ISLANDERS, DODAN WARRIORS OLUYOLE WARRIORS, have all made it from the Atlantic Conference while for the Savannah Conference we’ve got KANO PILLARS, MARK MENTORS, GOMBE BULLS AND PLATEAU PEAKS.

William Malu in jersey No 9 of Police Baton going for a dunk against Dodan Warriors player during the 2014 Nigeria DStv Premier Basketball League

Photo Credit: Akinkunmi Farinto

DStv Basketball League, Week 11 results

Kano Pillars unbeaten run snapped by Mark Mentors in Abuja as Union Bank seal playoff berth in the Atlantic conference and Oluyole Warriors blow out Islanders in IBM. Results below

Atlantic Conference

Oluyole Warriors 75-54 Islanders

Do dan Warriors 71-72 Union Bank

Royal Hoopers 66-73 Customs

Police Baton 65-69 Kwara Falcons

Savanna Conference

Plateau Peaks 66-59 Kada Stars

Mark Mentors 76-74 Kano Pillars

Nicer Potters 60-54 Immigration

Femi Adefeso

DSTV Basketball Premier League – Week 11 Preview

Oluyole Warriors Vs Islanders 4pm Ibadan

Having topped the Atlantic conference all season, no one would have thought the Oluyole Warriors Vs Islanders battle will be a battle between 4th and 3rd. All thanks to Oluyole’s surprise 12 point loss to Kwara Falcons and the Islanders 55-56 loss to Dodan Warriors. The Lagos Islanders ran away with a13 points win in the penultimate fixture earlier this season. But this time traveling to the Adamasingba stadium with the hostile Ibadan crowd at bay to cheer their darling Warriors. Its hard to tell where the pendulum of victory will swing.

Dodan Warriors Vs Union Bank 4pm Lagos

With the 28 points and 10 rebounds hero of last week, William Ndounbe suspended for this encounter. Union Bank will have their hands full against the fearless Dodan Warriors this week. The seemingly unstoppable Atlantic conference champions who are on a 4 game winning streak moved to the summit of the Atlantic log for the first time this season, will be surely banking on their good omen against the Warriors to continue on friday (5-2 on Head to head over the past 2 seasons). The Warriors themselves are on a 4 game winning streak snatching a late win over the Islanders. Definitely the Star match of Week 11. Everything is at stake… Who wins the Lagos derby?

Royal Hoopers Vs Customs 4pm Port Harcourt

Every game now counts for the former back to back champions who have being swimming in relegation waters all season. Royal Hoopers will entertain mid table Customs. The Port Harcourt giants have a chance to get the much needed 3rd win of the season. A win for Customs will be the beginning of the end for the Hoopers top flight campaign. A battle for survival awaits… Who wins?

Police Baton Vs Kwara Falcons 6pm Lagos

The Falcons got their 4th win of the season in a shock 12 points margin victory over then 2nd placed Oluyole Warriors (now 4th) in Ilorin. This week the new Birds entertain the struggling Police Baton who will be welcoming back the suspended duo of Head coach Dominic Dike and forward Malu Williams after serving a 5 game ban. Definately a much needed respite, that might just be the tonic the Officers need to save their head from the baton of relegation. Another battle for survival in the menu… Who survives?

In the Savannah Conference

Mark Mentors Vs Kano Pillars 4pm Abuja
No team has been able to stop Abubakar Usman and company. With a perfect 10-0 record they travel to Abuja to take on Mark Mentors…The only team to have defeated them in the past 2 seasons. Can the Mentors re-enact their 2013 National Final 4 antics or will Kano Pillars extend their 6-1 record against the mentors and consequently remain unbeaten going into the final 3 games of the season? Witness history!

Bauchi Nets Vs Gombe Bulls 4pm Bauchi

Surprise of the season Gombe Bulls are heading straight to the playoffs on their first time of asking. Tied on the points with Mark Mentors (18 points, from 8 wins and 2 losses). The Bulls require a win on friday to have a chance to move 2nd, should Kano Pillars win in Abuja. The disappointing Nets who are in 7th place will need a win to bring succor to their already dwindling fortunes. Bull or Nets?

Plateau Peaks Vs Kada Stars 4pm Jos

The once mighty Kada Stars are tied in a 3 horse race for premier league survival. having suffered a102-76 battering last week at home to Mark Mentors, this week they face a tough trip to the high Peaks of Plateau ,who are in a good position to win the final playoff spot in the conference. The Peaks ran home victors in the 1st clash in Kaduna….both teams are on a 2 game losing streak. Who will be the victor in Jos, will it be the Peaks or the Kada Stars?

Niger Potters Vs Immigration 4pm Minna

Niger Potters are rock bottom in the Savannah conference. With 4 games left and 2 teams Kada Stars and Bauchi Nets tied 12 points with just 2 wins. The Potters have their fate in their hands. while Immigration who are in a battle of their own for the final playoff spot with Peaks will battle tooth and nail to get the much needed win. Which is more important league survival or playoffs basketball?

Femi Adefeso

Photo Credit : Akinkunmi Farinto

DStv Basketball League News and Wk 9 Preview

Current DStv Premier League Standings

Atlantic Conference
Pos. Team. Win-Loss Pts
1. Islanders 6-2 14
2. Oluyole Warriors 6-2 14
3. Dodan Warriors 5-3 13
4. Union Bank 5-3 13
5. Kwara Falcons 3-5 11
6. Customs 3-5 11
7. Police Baton 2-6 10
8. Royal Hoopers 2-6 10

Savannah Conference
Pos. Team. Win-Loss Pts
1. Kano Pillars 8-0 16
2. Mark Mentors 6-2 14
3. Gombe 6-2 14
4. Plateau Peaks 4-4 12
5. Immigration 3-5 11
6. Kada Stars 2-6 10
7. Bauchi Nets 2-6 10
8. Niger Potters 1-7 9

Atlantic Conference Week 10 Preview.
8/4/2014
Dodan Warriors Vs Oluyole Warriors – 2pm: Lagos

Some call it the “Warriors Derby” others call it the “Battle of Warlords”
Dodan Warriors will be hoping to revenged their week 3 five points loss to Oluyole in Ibadan when they come visiting this week. Both teams are neck on neck, its 2nd against 3rd. And 1 point seperate them. With Pride & bragging rights and at stake, who wins?

Royal Hoopers Vs Lagos Islanders – 4pm : Port Harcourt
The high flying Islanders were brought down to earth in the last round of matches before the All-Star break by city rivals Union Bank. This week they face a tough road trip to ailing Royal Hoopers who are itching to get out of relegation waters. Playing at home, will they have the island to set anchor or will they continue to sink?

Police Batons Vs Union Bank -4pm : Lagos
Troubled both on &off the court, Police Baton will be welcoming in-form Union Bank who seem to have gotten their mojo back. Can the Batons halt the Stallions or will Union Bank get her 3rd successive for the first time this season?

Customs Vs Kwara Falcons -6pm: Lagos
Falcons looked like they were flying into playoff contention on their 1st time of asking before been shut down by Dodan Warriors in the last round of matches before the All-Star break. They took the scalp of the Customs earlier this season. And perhaps a chance to do a double on the paramilitary boy who are on a 3 game losing skid.

Savannah Conference Week 9 Preview.
8/4/2014

Mark Mentors Vs Plateau Peaks -4pm :Abuja
Mark Mentors surprising fell to their 2nd defeat of the season to new campaigners Gombe Bulls in the last round of matches before the All-Star break and surely will want to get back to winning ways in front of the home fans when the Peaks from Plateau come visiting after securing for the 1st time since their successive wins in Week 1 and 2.

Niger Potters Vs Kada Stars -4pm : Minna
Niger potter will need a win against Kada Stars if they want to port out of the bottom of the conference log. The dim shinning Kada Stars got their 2nd win of the season before the All Star break, one of which was a win against Potters. A win will keep them in 6th position and far away from their fellow relegation strugglers.

Bauchi Nets Vs Kano Pillars – 4pm : Bauchi
The Nets abysmal season continued last week when they lost to Kada Stars, this week is going to be tougher as they host undefeated league champions Kano Pillars. The question on everyone’s lips now is who can stop Kano Pillars? …Definately not looking like the Nets can.

Immigration Vs Gombe Bulls -4pm : Kaduna
Gombe Bulls pulled off an upset in the last round of matches before the All-Star break by defeating 2nd placed Mark Mentors. Next up for the new boys is a visit to Immigration in Kaduna. Will they get the needed victory or will immigration rise to the raging Bulls of Gombe?

Governor Ahmed pledges support for Kwara Falcons.

Kwara State Governor,Abdulfatah has pledged support for the state’s representative in the DStv Premier Basketball League,Kwara Falcons.

He disclosed the state government’s resolve to explore the Public-Private Partnership model to refurbish the Indoor Sports Hall of the Ilorin Stadium and the athletes hostels to give the team a befitting home and camp as well as attract national and international tournaments back to the state.

The Governor stated this while receiving the President of the Nigeria Basketball Federation on a courtesy visit in his office.He expressed delight at the team’s recent promotion to the basketball premiership and promised to provide a 32-seated bus and also place the team on a sustainable funding path to enable it honor it’s obligations.

Earlier,the Nigeria Basketball President,Tijjani Umar,who was accompanied by the state Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development,Prince Saheed,Director of Sports,Tunde Kazeem and Basketball Board Member, Agboola Pinheiro,appealed to the Governor to invest in grassroots basketball development in the state to ensure the future of the sport in the state and thanked the government for it’s lofty Plans for the resuscitation of sports and sports tourism in Kwara.

Femi Adefeso

Photo Credit: Akinkunmi Farinto

NBBF embarks on community service, visits Old Peoples’ Home, fines Potters

As part of giving back to its immediate community, the Nigeria Basketball Federation, NBBF, will on Friday embark on its Community Outreach Programme with a visit to future players of the game and the less privileged in the society.

According to the president of the NBBF, Tijjani Umar, the day’s programme will begin at 10.30 am with a visit to the current champions of the National Secondary Schools Basketball Championships, the International School, Lagos at Akoka where the students will be given career talks and other motivational addresses.

Speaking through Olumide Oyedeji, Board member and member of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the All Stars Game, Umar said the NBBF team which will include some members of the All Stars team will take the students on some basketball skills as well as allow a question and answer session with them.

“The president and I will take the students on career talks and motivational interface. I will particularly talk to them about myself, how basketball took me from nowhere to where I am today while allowing them time for questions and answers,”he said.

Olumide who is the co-captain of the senior men’s national team said the Community Outreach programme will also take the NBBF team to the Old People’s Home in Yaba where “we will be having lunch with them and then present some gift items to them thereafter.”

The programme will be rounded off at the National Stadium in Surulere later in the day.

Niger Potters fined, warned over abandoned match

For failing to honour its Week 7 game against Gombe Bulls in Gombe on April 18, 2014, Niger Potters Basketball Club of Minna have been fined N60,000 while the match is awarded to Gombe Bulls with a warning that such should not repeat itself in their own interest.

The Nigeria Basketball Federation, NBBF stated in a letter to the club that the fine is to cover the money expended on the match officials who were on ground for the aborted match.

In acknowledging the response of Niger Potters to the federation’s query on the aborted game, the NBBF noted that while it appreciates the club’s dire financial condition as explained, “it will no longer be acceptable as a reason for not honouring matches in the future (as) we will apply the maximum penalty of relegation if this happens again.”

It would be recalled that Royal Hoopers of Port Harcourt suffered the same fate after they failed to show up for the season’s opener against Dodan Warriors in Lagos on March 7, 2014 and were subsequently walked over by the Lagos side.

Femi Adefeso

DSTV Premier Basketball League Week 8 Results

Atlantic Conference

Islanders 65-51 Police Baton

Union Bank 72-60 Customs

Oluyole Warriors 75-70 Royal Hoopers

Falcons 64-76 Dodan Warriors

Savannah Conference

Kano Pillars 90-56 Immigration

Kada Stars 76-55 Bauchi Nets

Plateau Peaks 63-40 Niger Potters

Gombe Bulls 61-57 Mark Mentors

DSTV Premier Basketball League Week 7 Results

Week 7 Results DStv Premier Basketball League

Atlantic Conference
Union Bank 80-73 Islanders
Police Batons 66-71 Dodan Warriors
Customs 62-66 Oluyole Warriors
Kwara Falcons 71-49 Royal Hoopers

Savannah Conference
Kano Pillars 84-36 Kada Stars
Bauchi Nets 51-62 Mark Mentors
Gombe Bulls W/O Niger Potters
(W/O) Walk Over

Note!
Immigration Vs Plateau Peaks rescheduled for Sunday (20/04/14)

Photo Credit: Akinkunmi Farinto

Preview of DStv Premier Basketball league Week 7 By Oluwafemi Adefeso

As we look forward to yet another exciting weekend of basketball action. We take a look at the match Ups billed for the centre stage. The trilogy in Lagos and the epic battle in Kano, amongst othere

Atlantic Conference :

Union Bank takes on table toppers Lagos Islanders at 2pm at the National stadium Surulere in the first of this week 7’s Lagos Basketball “Trilogy”. Union Bank who lost their 3 game winning streak against Oluyole Warriors in Ibadan will try to make a bold statement about their title credentials against rave of the moment Lagos Islanders who have won 4 of the last 6 meetings between both sides. The Islanders right now are setting the pace in the Atlantic conference and are unbeaten 3 cosecutive games. This Lagos derby is the match of week 7 and a must watch for all who loves basketball.

The tie between Police Baton and Dodan Warriors is a tie between two wounded Lions. Dodan Warriors last week surprising lost to Customs despite leading by 11 points with 2 minutes left in the game, will hope to get their playoff quest back on track when they take on Police Baton who will be missing the inspiration of their head coach Dominic Dike and influential forward Malu Williams who have been slammed with a 5 game suspension by the league management. The Baton seem to be getting it right on the court winning their last two games but the absence of these two figures will perhaps turn the fortune of the team.

The Scott Nnaji tutored Customs who came back from the dead to defeat Dodan Warriors 62-53 last week will take solace from their spirited display against the warriors , when the take on yet another warriors in week 7 who will be traveling in all the way from Ibadan . The Oluyole warriors are currently enjoying a rich vain of form this season winning 4 of their 6 games this season and currently occupying 2nd Place on the log behind Lagos Islanders . The customs will have it at the back of their mind that victory this week against a conquering Oluyole Warriors will only come from a spirited performance like that of last week against Dodan Warriors.

The Royal Hoopers Season went from bad to worse last week when they suffered their 4th straight loss and second loss at home in Port Harcourt. This week the derailing former champions will be facing the never say die Kwara Falcons whose inexperience came to the fore in their loss to Lagos Islanders last week. This match is a battle of two teams looking for redemption . Who will be redeemed ? The battle for redemption starts 4pm on friday at the Ilorin Township stadium. Be a witness!

The Savannah conference :

Defending champions Kano pillars will have a showdown against stuttering northern rivals Kada stars in Kano. The 6-0 Kano giants will look to make a easy walk off Kada stars who have managed just 1 win in the league season (against Niger potters in week 3) You can easily call this an outright win for pillars with their home advantage and form , but with pride at stake. Kada could still spring a surprise. Witness the rivalry at the Sanni Abacha Stadium in Kano.

The tie between Bauchi Nets and Mark Mentors is also a game to watch this weekend . Though Mark Mentors are 2nd on the by behind Kano pillars with 5 wins ad 1 loss (to Kano pillars ) and Nets are 6th with just 2 wins both teams monstered incredible wins last week against Immigration in Abuja and away to Niger Potters in Minna respectively . Both teams have a one thing in common, the stat “1-1”. In their last two trips away trips for mark mentors they’ve won one and lost one, and in the Nets last two home games, Bauchi Nets have won one and lost one. So on friday One of the two teams will Improve its record to 2-1 . Who will it be Bauchi Nets or Mark Mentors?

Plateau Peaks will be traveling to Kaduna for the 2nd time in 2weeks as they booked a date with Immigration this weekend. The gallant Peaks gave a good account of themselves in their loss to Pillars last week. And will surely be hoping to climb on the inspiring display against an Immigration side that are on a two game losing streak and have also lost her 2 previous home games this season. Unlike the host Peaks have picked maximum points away from home this season one of which was a victory in Kaduna where they defeated Kada Stars in week 5. Will Immigration get her 1st home win of the season this weekend or will Plateau Peaks do a double over Kaduna based teams in their back yard? Witness the excitement

The last game of the conference will see the charging Bulls from Gombe lock horns with the Niger Potters at home in Gombe. The News Boys are riding on a 4 game winning streak at the moment and are have a perfect home record this season. If you are a Potter fan, this is certainly not the best time to play Gombe Bulls , if you ask me. Especially with last week’s home loss to Bauchi Nets. Niger Potters know that survival this season will definitely start from a victory on friday as they languish bottom of the log. Will the Bulls charge to their 5th straight win on the bounce or will the Potters begin to mould their way to survival ? In 40 minutes of basketball action , the verdict will be known.

NBBF/DStv Premier Basketball League Week 6 Results

Atlantic Conference

Islanders 73-55 Kwara Falcons

Dodan Warriors 53-62 Customs

Oluyole Warriors 93-82 Union Bank

Royal Hoopers 71-57 Police Baton

Savannah Conference

Kada Stars 50-60 GombeBulls

Plateau Peaks 75-82 Kano Pillars

Mark Mentors 78-40 Immigration

Niger Potters 58-64 Bauchi Nets

Femi Adefeso

DSTV Premier Basketball League Wk 6 Fixtures, Preview and Log

DSTV Premier Basketball League Wk 6 Fixtures, Preview and Log ( Fri, 11/4/2014)

ATLANTIC CONFERENCE
Islanders Vs Falcons – Lagos – 4pm
Oluyole Warriors Vs Union Bank- Ibadan-4pm
Dodan Warriors Vs Customs – Lagos- 6pm
Royal Hoopers Vs Police Baton- PH- 4pm

SAVANNAH CONFERENCE
Kada Stars Vs Gombe Bulls- Kaduna- 4pm
Plateau Peaks Vs Kano Pillars- Jos- 4pm
Mark Mentors Vs Immigration – Abuja- 4pm
Niger Potters Vs Bauchi Nets – Minna- 4pm

Preview Atlantic Conference:

Lagos Islanders who moved back to the summit of the table thanks to a 68-55 points victory over Oluyole Warriors will battle the impressive new campaigners Kwara Falcons who surprisingly lost at home last week to Police Baton. Islanders have won all their home games this season while Kwara Falcons have a 1-1 record in Lagos (their famous upset of Union Nank and their narrow loss to Dodan Warriors)

Oluyole Warriors also boasts of a 4game winning streak at home will take on Union Bank who seems to have gotten their mojo back after a stuttering season.

Union Bank are on a 3game winning streak will face a tough battle against the Warriors at the intimidating Adamasingba Stadium in Ibadan.

The game between Dodan warriors who narrowly fell 64-62 last week to Union Bank will be banking on the foreign Imports Romaric Quenum (Benin Rep) and Mike Savadogo (Burkina Faso) to be guns blazing tomorrow As well as reigning MVP Azuoma Dike who is nursing a minor injury. While Customs will hope to consolidate on last weeks triumph over former champions Royal Hoopers

Slumping former back to back Champions Royal Hoopers who are languishing at the bottom of the Atlantic conference will play host the bullish Police Baton team who last week won back to back games for the first time this season. Both team are yet to find their feet this season which is evident position on the lower end of the table.

Preview Savannah Conference

Struggling giants Kada Stars will entertain the strong charging Bulls of Gombe in Kaduna. Kada who have one just one game in 5 will entertain Gombe who team led on Bauchi Nets with 40 point victory last week. Kada have won just 1 of 3 home games this season and while game is winless in 3 away fixtures.

Plateau Peaks will entertain unbeaten league champions Kano Pillars. Kano beat their closest rivals in the conference last week to record a 5-1 win loss record over Mark Mentors. The Champions are rearing to make it 6 wins from 6 this weekend. Meanwhile the Peaks last game at home ended unceremoniously to a furore from fans and cost them to be sanctioned by the league.

Mark Mentors who lost their unbeaten start to the season to bitter rivals Kano Pillars will host Immigration in Abuja. The formidable Mentors side will hope to bounce back to winning ways just like their opponents who lost last week. Mark Mentors have an excellent home record while Immigration have won 2 of their 3 away games.

Niger Potters who are still smarting on a their 1st win of the season in Kaduna will host on Bauchi Nets in Minna. The struggling Nets are on a 3 game losing streak while Potters snapped their 4 game losing streak last week.

League Table

Atlantic Conference

Pos – Team – Wins/Loss
1. Islanders 4-1
2. Oluyole W. 3-2
3. D. Warriors 3-2
4. Union Bank 3-2
5. Kwara Falcons 2-3
6. Customs 2-3
7. Police Baton 2-3
8. Royal Hoopers 1-4

Savannah Conference

Pos – Team – Wins/Loss
1. Kano Pillars 5-0
2. Mark Mentors 4-1
3. Gombe Bulls 3-2
4. Plateau Peaks 3-2
5. Immigration 2-3
6. Kada Stars 1-4
7. Niger Potters 1-4
8. Bauchi Nets 1-4

DStv Premier Basketball League, Islanders, Union Bank, Customs win the battle of the Atlantic…

DStv Premier Basketball League, Islanders, Union Bank, Customs win the battle of the Atlantic…. As Kano Pillars holds off Mark Mentors in the Savannah

Week-5 pairing of the 2013/2014 season of the DStv Premier Basketball League was decided across the Atlantic and Savannah Conferences of the league.

In one of the three games decided in Lagos over the weekend, Islanders basketball club return to the summit of the Atlantic conference with a hard fought 68-55 points’ victory over Oluyole Warriors basketball club of Ibadan.

The high profile Game-18 pairing saw both sides sharing the four quarters evenly with Islanders coming from behind twice in the first and third quarters (10-13 and 15-17) to upstage their Ibadan rival wining the second and fourth quarters by 21-10 and 22-15 points for a cumulative score-line of 68-55 points to make it a 4-1 record with an overall 316 points from five games.

Islanders’ basketball club quartet of Ibrahim Okpe; Seyi Ayodele; John Ohwe and Chiwendu Nwaigbo hit a double figure each to aid their side victory.

Coach Ayinla Johnson of Union Bank given instruction to his boys during the 2014 Nigeria DStv Premier Male Basketball League held at the Indoor Sports Hall of National Stadium, Surulere. Union Bank won by 64-62 points.

Okpe (16 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assist); Ayodele (16 points, 2 rebound and 2 steal); Ohwe (15 points and 3 rebound) and Nwaigbo (12 points, 9 rebound and 4 assist).

Union Bank basketball club steal a last quarter rally to go past hard fighting Dodan Warriors basketball club by 64-62 points in their match-up.

The ‘Stallion’ upturned a three points’ third quarter ending deficit (46-49) to remain in fourth place on the conference log.

Union Bank with a 3-2 records was led in scoring by its Togolese import Arnold Yacoubou with 12 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assist; Solomon Ajegbeyi landed a double double of 10 points and 12 rebounds while swingman Emeka Ajaegbu added 10 points and 3 steal.

Coach Lati Erinfolami of Lagos Islanders given instructions to his boys during the 2014 Nigeria DStv Premier Male Basketball League held at the Indoor Sports Hall of National Stadium, Surulere. Lagos Islanders won by 68-55 points.

Nigeria Customs completed the Lagos wing of the Atlantic conference win with a 58-46 points win over two-time champion of the league Royal Hoopers basketball club of Port Harcourt.

The ‘Border Boy’ came off a 07-14 points first quarter deficit to out-play the Hoopers in the second quarter through fourth (16-11, 15-11 and 20-10).

Customs forward and Captain Victor Kadiri led his team quest for honours with a double double of 14 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assist and 2 block-shots with youthful combo guard Emmanuel Balogun adding 15 points, 5 rebounds, 3 steal and 2 assist just as Police Baton snatched an away win of 62-60 points over Kwara Falcons basketball club of Ilorin.

The big win by the Police Baton was a kind of boost for the Police side who began the season on a shaky note after losing its first three games before handling Customs a 55-47 points’ victory during the week-4 local derby in Lagos.

Meanwhile defending champion have continue from where it left off last season by remaining the only team in the 16-team league that have kept a clean slate as it holds off star-studded Mark Mentors basketball club of Abuja last weekend in Kano.

The Coach Sani Ahmed tutored Pillars side defeated their closest rival in the Savannah conference by 69-62 points in a pulsating match watched by capacity crowd at the gymnasium of the Sani Abacha stadium to end Mark Mentors unbeaten run.

Pillars that enjoy a 5-0 record have accumulated 418 point-scored which translate to an average of 83.6 points per-game.

The week became more interesting as Niger Potters basketball club of Minna end its winless season with a 52-47 points away win over Nigeria Immigration in Kaduna with Plateau Peaks basketball club of Jos adding to the woes of Kaduna-based teams when it humbled Kada Stars basketball club of Kaduna by 70-48 points.

DStv league new entrant Gombe Bulls basketball club continue with its superb form when it posted a massive 85-45 points victory over neighbor Bauchi Nets basketball club at the National Sports Commission (NSC) gymnasium in Gombe.

The Abdulrahman Mohammed coached Bulls are now third on the log of the Savannah conference Mark Mentors and conference leader Kano Pillars with an eye for the final-8 playoff.

Lukman Kuti in jersey No 5 of Customs going for a dunk and been block by Ikachi Ochoma in jersey No 10 of Royal Hoppers during the 2014 Nigeria DStv Premier Male Basketball League held at the Indoor Sports Hall of National Stadium, Surulere. Customs won by 58-46 points.

DStv Premier Basketball League Week 4 Fixtures and titbits

Week 4 Fixtures

Atlantic

Oluyole Warriors Vs Kwara Falcons

D.Warriors Vs Islanders (Lagos derby)

Royal Hoopers Vs Union Bank

Police Baton Vs Customs (Paramilitary derby)

Savannah

Plateau Peaks Vs Gombe Bulls

Mark Mentors Vs Kada Stars

Niger Potters Vs Kano Pillars

Bauchi Nets Vs Immigration

DStv Premier Basketball League Week 4 Fixtures and titbits

•Kwara Falcons won their rescheduled game against Union Bank 57-53 on Tuesday in Lagos. The newly promoted side start the season with a perfect 2 wins from 2 after they beat Customs in their first game of the season last Friday before upsetting the Atlantic conference champions in front of their home crowd at the national stadium.

•Union Bank have now suffered 2 surprising defeats this season to Customs and Falcons and their next game will perhaps set the tone for their their season as they travel to Port Harcourt to face former double champions Royal Hoopers.

•There are 2 derby matches in Atlantic conference this Friday.

•In the Savannah Conference Leading team Mark Mentors of Abuja will lock horns with Kaduna’s Kada Stars where they recruited 3 players from during the off season.

Femi Adefeso