NAN-S-8
Competition
By Babatunde Ogunrinde
Lagos, May 13, 2017 (NAN) Ugo Udueze, Organisers of the ongoing Continental Basketball League (CBL), which dunked off on Friday in Lagos, has said that he was interested more in promoting the culture of the state through basketball.
The competition which is ongoing at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, is tagged “May Madness Tournament’’ in celebration of Lagos State at 50.
Udueze told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the CBL would bring more awareness about the state as a sports hub for the nation and Africa.
The opening game was a spectacle as fans were treated to an awesome ambience which was a scintillating experience.
Younde Giants of Cameroon set the ball rolling as they dismissed Lagos Warriors 104-66 in the opening game of the tournament that was watched by a capacity crowd at the Teslim Balogun Stadium.
Udueze described the experience as “beautiful’’, and said that the league promised to bring the best exposure to Lagos State as sports hub of the nation and for Africa.
“This and many other good things coming is what we planned and sincerely the best has yet to come when the whole teams settle down to play quality basketball under good and conducive atmosphere.
“It is about us creating an opportunity where we provide a better atmosphere and service with proper logistics and basically creating something for Africans by Africans.
“This is about us trying to create job opportunities for our youths so that they can earn something and basically creating that opportunity for everybody.
“It is also about creating that sports industry which is very capital intensive and given other business individuals the opportunity to invest and believe in the success that can be achieved.
“We believe in the sports industry and we are in it because it is from an African perspective and not just doing it like the Europeans or like the Americans is in investing in sports, especially sports tourism,’’ Udueze said.
Godwin Owinjie, the head coach of City Stars, one of the teams that will feature in the competition, said that it was the best thing happening to Lagos and Africa as a whole.
“The best is yet to come and looking at the ambience, the quality of the sports hall, indeed this is what we want to see just as it is done in the U.S. and in Europe,’’ Owinjie said.
Babatunde Ogunade, the Chairman, Lagos state Basketball Association (LSBBA), said the CBL is structured to project basketball and Lagos State as whole in a positive light.
He said that the league had set the tone of how quality basketball is organised to the delight and comfort of fans and the business community.
“Lagos State has always been in support of individuals’ development that will bring progress to the state and the youth.
“The CBL is a great initiative that seeks to showcase the quality side of the state to the rest of the world and indeed we are proudly backing the innovation,’’ Ogunade said.
Rawane Ndiaye, a U.S. citizen who plays for Lagos Warriors, told NAN that coming to play basketball in Nigeria is a great experience for him and that he was looking forward to the whole exercise.
“The atmosphere is beautiful, we are having fun and I am loving every minute of it.
“Sincerely, it feels good to see such quality of organisation in Africa and I am just enjoying myself with the rest of my team.
“I love the people, they show us a lot of support and I am just enjoying every moment of it,’’ Ndiaye said.
NAN reports that no fewer than six teams are engaged in the competition that dunked of on May 12 and will end on May 31.
The league is made up of Eko Kings, Lagos City Stars and Lagos Warriors from Lagos, Libreville Izobe Dragons from Gabon, Abidjan Raiders from Abidjan and Yaoundé Giants from Cameroon.
After the first rounds of matches decided in Lagos which is tagged the “’Lagos Challenge’’, the teams will embark on a road trip to the capital of Cameroon, Yaoundé, tagged “Yaoundé Challenge’’ from May 22 to May 24. (NAN)
BAO/PDE
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(Editing by Peter Ejiofor)