Nttf National League Finals Hold Friday 17th October 2014

After one day rest, action will return to the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium on Friday as the final of the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) national league holds.

Eight teams will compete in the knockout stage for places in the semifinal stage of the men’s event. In the women’s category, four teams will battle for places in the final.

Other teams will slug it out with favourites like Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and Union Bank Sports Club.

The NSCDC team will be led by Kazeem Makanjuola and Ganiyu Ashimiyu while the Union Bank female team will be spearheaded by Fatimo Bello and Halimotu Ayinla against highly-rated NSCDC inspired by National Sports Festival champion, Rashidat Ogundele.

For the pairing in the men’s round of eight, NSCDC will face Nigeria Police Force while Union Maritime will face G-20.

Springfresh Smashers will clash against Union Bank while IAR&T battles Sunshine of Akure for places in the last four.

The Union Bank’s duo of Fatimo Bello and Halimot Ayinla will spearhead the bankers’ team campaign when the team takes on the Nigeria Police Force team led by Sidi Yaya for a place in the final.

In the second semifinal tie, highly-rated NSCDC ladies will battle Springfresh Smashers.

Prior to the commencement of the league, Sunshine’s Boboye Adeniyan admitted that they are ready to confront any team in their bid to repeat the feat they achieved during the pilot league.

“I know it is going to be tough and we can also do what we did during the pilot league. It is obvious that it is a tall order for us in the final but we are indeed in top form to battle any opposition that may come our way,” Adeniyan said.

Nigeria Table Tennis Federation

Also Makanjuola said they will be unstoppable for the title. “I don’t think we will play to the gallery unlike what happened to us when we started the league. This is the final and we have to be at our best if we want to clinch the title. We are battle ready and I am sure we will lift the trophy,” Makanjuola said.

With N2.5m at stake as prize money, the federation has said that the finale will be glamorous as top dignitaries.

Registration For NTTF National Table Tennis League Ends 3rd Of October

The deadline for the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF)-organised national league has been fixed for Friday October 3.

According to the secretary general of NTTF, Chinedu Ezealah-Ogundare, teams that fail to conclude their registration would not take part in the N2.5m prize money tournament, which serves off on October 9.

In the tournament prospectus, 30 teams made up of 20 male and 10 female are expected to compete for diadem at the tournament, while four players are expected to constitute a team, which each team expected to garner points to qualify for the top eight and top four grand finale holding on October 17 at the Teslim Balogun Stadium.

Also, the battle for the prize money will be among top teams like Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Sunshine of Akure and Union Bank Sports Club in the men’s category while the battle for the coveted prize will be among the NSCDC and Calabar Rovers.

Teams are expected to arrive for the competition on October 8 for the championship scheduled to hold at the knock-up hall of the National Stadium.

Olympics system will be used for the championship; while the new International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) approved plastic balls will be during the competition in order to acquaint the players with the new balls.

Ezealah-Ogundare said the tournament would also be used as trials to select players for the forthcoming African Championship holding in Sudan while individuals’ performance would be considered in the final selection of the players.

Cool FM and Honeywell have expressed willingness to support the tournament that promises to be exciting.

NTTF National League Serves Off October 9

Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) has fixed October 9 for the official kick off of its national league.

According to the Secretary of NTTF, Chinedu Ezealah-Ogundare, the league became necessary following the success of the pilot league staged early this year, while 30 teams across the country are expected to take part in the tournament holding at the National Stadium in Lagos.
Four players are expected to make up a team and the Olympics system of play would be used in order to acquaint the players with the new format of play.

Also, the new International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) approved plastic balls will be during the competition in order to acquaint the players with the new balls.

According to the national coach, Nosiru Bello, the new ITTF approved balls would be deployed during the competition as this ball would be used in most ITTF major competitions including the forthcoming African Championships holding in November in Sudan.

Nigeria’s Ojo Onaolapo serves the ball to India’s Kamal Sharath Achanta (unseen) during their Bronze Medal Team table tennis match at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on July 28, 2014. AFP PHOTO / ANDREJ ISAKOVIC

According to the referee of the competition, John Peters, the tournament would also help the federation to select players for the forthcoming African Championship while individual performance would be considered in the final selection of the players.

In the prospectus, the league would involve 20 male and 10 female teams made up of four players per team and they are expected to garner points to qualify for the top eight and top four, which is the grand finale holding on October 17 at the Teslim Balogun Stadium.

The deadline of team’s registration has been fixed for October 3 while teams are expected to arrive Lagos for the competition on October 8 to finalise their registration for the championship scheduled to hold at the knock-up hall of the National Stadium.

“We want to ensure that our players are in top shape for major competitions and this is one of the ways we want to achieve this. Also, we are going to use it to select the remaining two slots in the male national team for the African Championship holding in Sudan. Already three players have been penciled down based on their performance in recent times and we also want to give the local players the opportunity to be part of the team and that is why we are going to use the competition to pick the remaining two players.

In the female category, we are hoping that we can pick the best to represent the country in Sudan. We want to be selecting players based on their recent form and with this tournament we will do this,” the NTTF scribe said.

Among the teams lined up for the league are Union Bank Sports Club, Springfresh, Union Maritime, Police Machine, G20, Nigerian Civil Defence Corps, Sunshine of Akure, Calabar Rovers, Rivers Angel and a host of others.