NAN-S-2
Basketball
By Babatunde Ogunrinde
Lagos, Dec. 21, 2016 (NAN) No fewer than 100 young basketball players have began the tussle for supremacy at the annual Police Rookies Basketball Games in Ikeja, Lagos.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the players, male and female, who came from different parts of Lagos, were grouped into different teams.
They are to compete for the next two days for their chosen clubs.
Mark Balogun, the coordinator of the event, told NAN that essence of the competition was to engage players and groom them for the future.
Balogun said, “The young players of ages 12 to 21 will have a chance to play with their contemporaries, especially those that were just meeting for the first time.
“We just want to keep the young players busy; it is a yearly event that seeks to give young players the opportunity to compete with their mates.
“They don’t really belong to any club, but will be grouped into teams where they can compete with themselves.
“The competition is expected to be tough and fun for the youth, as it will give them the opportunity of making friends,’’ Balogun said.
Similarly, the Ekiti State Youth Alive Basketball League enters day three as Ekiti Rockets defeated Hope 4 Girls by 19-5.
Also, Impression Girls Delta defeated Divine Speed Delta by 24-10; Warlords Ogun defeated Divine Speed Delta (Boys) by 26-12.
Ekiti Rockets beat Sunshine Angels by 18-13, while MFM Boys Ekiti mauls Possibility Boys Ekiti by 30-5.
The coordinator of the league, Gbade Olatona, told NAN that it was an achievement for the league to hold in the second year running in Ekiti.
“We are happy to host another edition in Ekiti; the players are exceptional and they have continued to show that Nigeria has a lot of potential in basketball,’’ Olatona said.
NAN reports that about 25 teams are competing in the competition which began on Dec. 20 and will end on Dec. 22. (NAN)
BAO/ENN/GOK
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Edited by Edwin Nwachukwu/Olagoke Olatoye