Basketball will soon experience Revolution – Minister
By Albert Akota
The recent impressive performances of the National Basketball team D’ Tigers is an indication that there would soon be a revolution in Nigerian Basketball development, declares Minister of Youth and Sports Development Mr Sunday Dare.
Mr. Dare made this assertion when NBBF President, Eng. Musa Kida paid the Minister a courtesy visit on Tuesday after returning from the just concluded Afro Basketball qualifiers in Kigali, Rwanda where ‘D Tigers’ won all their matches.
According to the Minister,
“My position is consistent that beyond football, Nigeria has talents and competences in several other sports and our ascendancy in baskeball is no longer stoppable. That ascendancy has been proven. We are Africa Champions in both male and female, we are headed to the Olympics, it has never happened before and that shows that beyond football Basketball has come to stay. We are Africa Champions and we are a dominant force in the world. We are happy that our team is in the hands of good administrators and managers. Beyond the good talents that we have put together, we also need capable hands to manage them. These are the people that have set their eyes on a greater glory on the podium performance and am sure many other Nigerians will join the basketball revolution. At least under me we hope to have a Basketball revolution that transcends the National team. We hope to have effective grassroots penetration of Basketball youngsters to start a project that would have a Basketball Court in at least one Senatorial district in the country.
“This is a commitment that is been shared by the NBBF and the Federal Ministry of Sports.
Engineer Kida said Nigerian ascendance was made possible by good planning, commitment of the players and engagement of one of the best coaches in the NBA.
D’Tigers’ defeated South Sudan, Rwanda and Mali to top Group B of the Afro Basketball qualifier series hosted in Kigali, Rwanda.