*Oyedeji heads League Management Board The Nigeria Basketball Federation, NBBF led by Tijjani Umar has finalized preparation for the commencement of the 2018 Kwese Premier Basketball League season on May 6 with the inauguration of a League Management Board to be headed by its Vice President and ex NBA player, Mr Olumide Oyedeji. The commencement […]
via Kwese Premier League Dunks Off May 6 2018 — newfanzoneblog
The newly elected Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) Board under the leadership of Tijjani Umar wishes to make it known that it has followed due process to the letter in conducting its affairs including the election of 12 June, 2017. The Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) is in custody of the NBBF ratified Constitution and the election […]
via NBBF ELECTION 2017: We Followed Due Process — newfanzoneblog
Team Kogi/Koto Karfe emerged winners of the 9th edition of the Justice Nasir Ajanah Inter-Local Government Area Basketball Championship after beating Team Okene 31-29 at the outdoor court of the Okene Club, in Okene, Kogi State. The winners came from behind after trailing in all the quarters before the Most Valuable Player of the championship, […]
via Koto Karfe LG, Kogi State Emerge Winners Of 9th Ajanah Basketball Championship — newfanzoneblog
The Savannah Conference won their third straight DStv Premier Basketball league All Star game at the weekend inside the indoor hall of the National Stadium, Abuja in a tightly contested match to beat the Atlantic Conference 81 -77 points. In an ebullient display of skills, the Savannah Conference tutored by Sani Ahmed led 31-22 after […]
via Savannah Conference Wins Third Consecutive DStv All Star Game In Abuja — newfanzoneblog
With the recent commendable the rise in youth basketball programmes in Nigeria, which has directly influenced the success of national U-16 teams and the resurfacing of Nigeria as a powerhouse in Africa.
The ancient city of Ibadan with a rich history of basketball will on Saturday 30th January 2016 be added to the conveyor belt of talent production as one of the former players of the Oluyole Warriors basketball club in the 80’s, Barr. Damola Awosika launches the Hoops Dreams Basketball Academy.
President of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) Mr. Tijjani Umar thanked the initiator of the programme, Barr. Damola Awosika for his proactiveness and drive to build a structure that will sustain youth development and talent discovery in the State and the South West sub-region, adding to the Youth Alive basketball programmes exsisting in Lagos and recently extended to Ekiti State last year.
Mr Umar said “I acknowledge the opening of the Hoops Dreams Academy in Ibadan. I am excited about this and i hope to do everything within my power to support your vision as a federation”.
The Academy which will cater to atleast 200 kids, teaching fundamentals of the game of basketball and supplying equipments to kids from as little as 6-18 years of age, drives to produce the next big stars for Nigeria at the youth level whom will hopefully graduate to the Senior national teams.
Barr. Awosika said the discovery of Nigerian youth sensation Charles Bassey, now making waves in the US, courtesy the Youth Alive Basketball programme in Lagos motivated the Hoops Dreams Academy.
” We have kids everywhere who have talent to play basketball big time, we just have to create opportunities and a structured, sustainable programme to teach them the right basics and monitor their progress.
Damola Awosika who is also one of the directors of the Youth Alive Programme in Lagos, also revealed the lack of developmental programmes in his boyhood home motivated his choice of Ibadan.
“Having been part of the lagos Youth Alive programme and witnessing the results it is producing, I felt Oyo State is almost being left out of the rising tide of youth basketball development programmes in Nigeria. I was motivated to go back and contribute to Ibadan where I grew up and played basketball to the level of representing Oluyole Warriors in the Premier league”
The Nigeria Basketball Federation has announced her 2016 Annual Stakeholders Consultative forum for Wednesday 3rd February , 2016 at the National Institute for Sport Auditorium, National Stadium, Package B, Abuja.
According to the statement from the NBBF secretariat, delegates which include Corporate sponsors, Team owners, Club chairmen, Club secretaries as well players, coaches, technical officials and the esteemed media are expected to arrive Abuja on February 2nd as the forum is billed take off at 9am prompt on Wednesday.
All present at the assembly will witness milestone presentations, from first, a top managing consulting group signed to manage and develop the Nigerian Basketball Federation’s digital space, i.e website and social media accounts. As well as, presentations from the Referees and Coaches Associations, both inaugurated and reconstituted respectively after the 2015 consultative forum which had over 150 stakeholders in attendance in Abuja.
The Stakeholders forum will also feature the pre-season seminar for all basketball officials, that is, Referees, Table officials and Technical (match) commissioners. With the 2016 national grading exercise taking place for new officials, and national officials that will be sanctioned to officiate in the 2016 season of the DStv and Zenith Bank Leagues this season, from the 4th to 6th February in Abuja, 9am to 6pm daily.
The statement also read that, the board of Nigeria Basketball Federation led by Mr. Tijjani Umar is extending an open the invitation to all. Team owners, club secretaries, coaches, players, and the media to come assess the highs and lows of Nigerian basketball in the previous 12 months and to project a course for the upcoming calendar year, across all the cadres ( the Senior and Junior national teams; men’s and women’s league; youth and developmental programmes, e.t.c) they remain steadfast in building on the challenges and great exploits of 2015, and launching Nigerian basketball to greater heights in 2016.
Following the Successful conclusion of the AdaMark Foundation 3X3 Hoops For Girls Championship in Abuja, the Nigerian Basketball Federation has showered encomiums on the organiser, AdaMark Foundation For Girls for putting together the inaugural 3X3 Basketball format competition in country at the package B of the Abuja National Stadium.
The 3×3 tournament which comprised of 3 females and 1 male on each team had Team Hawks go home with the N200,000 cash prize winners after they defeated the Abuja All Stars who took home a cash prize of N100,000 as losing finalist. For coming third, Team One Win Academy got N75,000 while Titan Basketball Academy despite finishing 4th got N50,000 for their exploits.
Speaking after Final match, the NBBF President, Mr. Tijjani Umar said the Federation will support individuals like AdaMark Ogbole, CEO AdaMark Foundation For Girls who have initiatives to take Nigerian Basketball the next level.
“We as a Federation have shown that we are open to accommodating any meaningful programmes that add value to basketball in the country, that is why we are here and we are ready to support and encourage more individuals to come forth and add whatever value they feel they can add to the growth of the Game”
“ What we have seen today is a landmark event because this is the first official 3X3 event in Nigeria particularly for Girls. AdaMark Foundation for Girls, have extended their level of purpose and drive because we are very accustomed to their Basketball Camp for girls, but this time She has expanded from just a camp to a competition to engage women and give them a level playing field to compete against each other and the guys also. ” He added
The CEO of the AdaMark Foundation For Girls, Mrs AdaMark Ogbole said it is she was elated by the turn out and was motivated to set up the competition due to the lack of opportunity for Girls express themselves in a competitive environment.
“ First and formost the 3X3 basketball format is a rising trend in basketball across the world and the Women folk often times get little opportunity to express themselves, that is why I decided we play the No Barriers 3X3 basketball championship for Women. Although so they don’t say we are driving gender inequality we decided to tweak it with 1 male in each team of 4 Girls”.
AdaMark Ogbole, wife of FIBA Statistician, Obande Ogbole promised not to get tired even though the tournament was sponsored solely by her foundation, and hoped to expand the tournament and run it for many years to come.
“This is just the beginning for us, though it is never easy to be a sole sponsor, we hope to get partners on board to drive this tournament to make it bigger next year and our for Girls empowerment because, I believe we (females) can achieve equal feat with the men folk, if we are given the opportunity and the needed support”.
In a bid to sustain the recent successes recorded by the nation in basketball, the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) has started re-strategizing with the aim of making major actors and stakeholders, especially the staff of the federation key into the vision of transforming the game to an enviable height.
As a result, the NBBF in conjunction with BVS Professional Services,a multidisciplinary consulting firm based in Lagos, held a two-day brainstorming session in Abuja last Saturday and Sunday with federation members and staff, technical and youth committee member, national team coaches as well as technical officials of the game.
Among those who attended the sessions are coaches Sani Ahmed, Ayinla Johnson, Abdulrahaman Mohammed, Scott Nnaji, Adewunmi Aderemi, Tari Preh, Adeka Daudu, Ogoh Odaudu, Emmanuel Odah as well as president of the Nigerian Basketball Referees Council, Tunde Popoola.
Others are league management committee members Ajibarade Bello, Lawal Garba, Skambo Morrison as well as Obande Ogbole and Gbade Olatona, both statisticians and members of the youth development committee.
The consultants, led by Oluyemi Abaolu-Johnson took the stakeholders through the Strategic Planning Model which reappraised the current Nigerian basketball landscape and administrative structure and arrived at a new frontier with promising outcomes.
Speaking at the session, NBBF president, Tijjani Umar stressed that the NBBF is embarking on capacity building for its staff to make them understand the vision of the board of making Nigerian basketball a reference point in Nigerian sports administration and therefore own and help drive it.
Lead consultant, Abaolu-Johnson stressed that his firm decided to partner with the NBBF because it saw that the federation has a strong leadership which needs an equally committed and resourceful staff to make basketball a strong brand that will attract sponsors to help take the game to the next level.
Basketball’s world governing body, FIBA’s Special Advisor, Lubomir Kotleba whose visit to the NBBF coincided with the strategizing session commended the leadership of the federation, stressing that “I don’t have much to advise you on because you are already doing what I came here to advocate.”
Stressing that the consultants have already spelt out ways to make Nigerian basketball the super brand it could be,he advised that what each stakeholding unit needed to do was to demonstrate commitment in their various areas of specialization.
*says Nigeria can dominate Africa if…,
World’s basketball governing body, FIBA Sports Director Lubomir Kotleba has said that Nigeria has the best potential to lead the rest of Africa in basketball if all the stakeholders could rededicate themselves to the service and development of the game.
Kotleba, a retired veteran FIBA super-referee, arrived Abuja for meetings with the NBBF and Nigerian sports authorities in respect of FIBA’s ‘New Governance structure” New Competition Calendar’ and the ‘National Federations Support and Development’ Initiative, disclosed to basketball stakeholders in Abuja Sunday that Angola had hitherto benefitted from the administrative and infrastuctural advantage it had,noting that is now over with the recent organizational progress and successes recorded by Nigeria.
“Nigeria players are very skillful and also have the best possible basketball bodies . You have enormous potentials, which if properly harnessed, will make you the leading nation in Africa and with what i see today, there is no reason for you to dominate Africa,like Angola did,for the next 20 years”, he said.
“The Angolans told me that they know the potentials of Nigeria in the game but that what has been working for them is the tremendous funding support from government as against the Nigerians,” he disclosed.
He therefore admonished all the sport’s stakeholders to support the current leadership which he described as “strong and focused” in order to put Nigerian basketball where it ought to be on the continent.
The FIBA Sports Director who took time to watch games of the Abuja Elite Private Secondary Schools Basketball Classics at the outdoor courts of the Abuja National Stadium also interacted with various stakeholders of the basketball family to find out how they operate and advised them on how to give their best in their areas of specialization.
Before his departure Tuesday, NBBF president, Tijjani Umar had led Mr. Kotleba on courtesy calls to the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) president, Engr. Habu Gumel, his predecessor and former sports minister, Engr. Sani Ndanusa as well as the Director General of the National Sports Commission, Mallam Al-Hassan Yakmut.
The three administrators thanked him for visiting the NBBF, which they described as the reference point for sports federations in Nigeria and appealed to FIBA to support basketball in Nigeria to enable NBBF sustain the many successes it recorded in
With Nigerian teams dominating the just concluded, FIBA Africa Zone 3 qualifiers picking all the slots to represent the zone at the FIBA Africa Club champions in Luanda, Angola. The President of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) Mr. Tijjani Umar has praised all the clubs including Nigeria female League champions Dolphins and runners up First Bank, as well as Men champions, Mark Mentors and runners up Kano Pillars for picking all the tickets at the finals from the zone. The NBBF President said
” I congratulate our teams for continuing what has being a fantastic year for Nigerian basketball, it’s good to have all 4 clubs both men and women represent Nigeria, particularly at this time”.
“I must commend the clubs for their effort and i want to admonish them to represent the country with pride and do their best to emulate the national teams this year”.
You will recall that the D’Tigers won their 1st continental crown in Tunisia, this year before claiming Bronze at the 2015 All African Games in Brazzaville, while in the women’s category, the Junior D’Tigress came second at the FIBA Africa U16 championship in Madagascar before the senior girls, the D’Tigress claimed Silver and Bronze at the 2015 All African Games and Afrobasket for Women respectively.
Both Kano Pillars and Mark Mentors will be hoping to make history this year becoming Nigeria’s first continental club champions, while First Bank Basketball club of Lagos have the sights set on ending their 6 year wait for a 3rd continental crown with victories in 2005 and 2009. And the 2015 Nigeria Women’s league champions Dolphins basketball club of lagos also relishing an improved performance in their 2nd straight appearance on the continent and a shot at a first title.
The Women FIBA Africa Club Champions Cup will jumpball in Luanda from November 27th to December 6th, while the Men come to town 4 days after in the Angola, capital city from December 10th to 19th.
Nigeria’s team to the 2015 FIBA Africa U-16 Women Championship holding in Antananarivo, Madagascar yesterday beat Egypt 54-52 in their opening game.
Rita James lead all scorers with 19 pts, with Ene Adams adding 10pts and 13 rebs and Onome James- Akinbode clearing the boards with 10rebs in addition to 3pts as Nigeria came from a first quarter slump (9-20 pts) to rebound (11-6)(23-16)(11-10) in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th quarters to overcome 3time Runners up Egypt in their opening game in the championship, this afternoon.
President of the Nigeria Basketball Federation, NBBF Tijjani Umar commended the team for the victory which he described as a good way to relaunch Nigeria into age-grade competition in Africa after a four- year self exile to sanitize the system.
Speaking with the head coach, Adeka Daudu on phone, Umar said, “it is a learning process and the players should use it very well. They should just remain focused and enjoy the game”.
He reiterated the position of the NBBF that the team is not taking part in the competition to win at all cost but to use it as a platform of getting future players of the senior team.
They are expected to play host Madagascar on Sunday, Zimbabwe on Monday and Morocco on Tuesday to round off the group games.
….As team Jets out to Madagascar Tomorrow
Director General of the NSC, Mallam Alhassan Yakmut was on hand with NBBF delegation led by its President, Tijjani Umar in a brief send forth for the National U16 Basketball team, as the team is set to depart for Antananarivo, Madagascar tomorrow for the FIBA Africa U-16 Championships from 10-19th July, 2015.
The ceremony which took place at the Indoor Hall of the Abuja National Stadium had the full delegation of 12 players and six officials leaving for the Madagascar capital to battle their contemporaries across the African continent.
Mallam Yakmut admonished the players to see themselves as Nigerian Ambassadors and represent Nigerian with pride at the tournament.
” It is a great privilege to represent Nigeria at 16, be good Ambassadors of your country. Go all out and do us proud”.
The NSC Director General further went on to give kudos to the President Tijjani Umar and NBBF board for relaunching its participation at age grade competitions during his tenure as DG.
The NBBF President, Mr Tijjani Umar on the other hand urged the players not to be worried about any situation as there are officials to worry about all their needs, which has been provided for by the NBBF with the full support of the National Sports Commission.
Head Coach Adeka Daudu responded on behalf of the team thanking the NBBF for the opportunity given the technical crew to tutor the team for the championship and promised that they will be good Ambassadors and won’t let the country down.
“I thank you for the opportunity to serve our great country once again, I promise we won’t let you down and all Nigerians in Madagascar”.
The team departs Abuja for Lagos Wednesday(tomorrow) morning to catch a flight to Antananarivo by 12 noon.
Here is the list of the 18 man delegation for the 2015 FIBA Africa U16 Championships.
Players
1.Daniel Menani Denis
2.James Happy Rita
3.Seye Antorufa Anita
4. Okoli Maureen Chidimma
5. Oduah Vanessa Isioma
6. Akinbode James Onome Mary
7. Udueyin Omotayo Ruth
8. Ibeh Chinelo Lucy
9. Ezekiel Monica
10. Okoye Ifunanya Rosemary
11. Adams Ene Blessing
12. Ezeh Jennifer Adaeze
Officials
1. Daudu Adeka – Head Coach
2. Ogunade Shomala Shola – Assistant Coach
3. Manuwa Ademola – Team Doctor
4. Salami Priscilla Eniaghe – Physioterapist
5. Famogbiyele Olayinka Kehinde – Accompanying Referee
6. Okon Anya Patience – Team Secretary
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