Lagos emerges champions of maiden edition of Invitational Wheelchair Basketball Tournament

Posted : 05 December 2024

Team Lagos defeated their Oyo State counterparts 49-24 to win the maiden edition of the Invitational Wheelchair Basketball Tournament held in Ibadan.

Team Delta finished third in the four-team competition, played at the Lekan Salami Stadium, after defeating Team Kwara 37-26.

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After the final match, Obrien Adokai, the coach of Team Lagos, stated that he did not see the victory as anything extraordinary.

Adokai said he believed that hard work would lead an individual or team to achieve their desired goals.

“The game was fair, with mistakes here and there, which is normal for any human activity. The margin doesn’t matter to me, but the victory is what counts.

“The margin means that if we had worked harder, it could have been greater,” he said.

Speaking also, Tunde Popoola, a member of the Oyo State Basketball Association board, said the competition was organized to honor people living with disabilities.

Popoola explained that the association wanted to provide a platform for them to showcase their abilities, skills, and potential, especially in sports.

“I’m very impressed with what I saw during the competition.

“As the Technical Director of the Wheelchair Basketball Federation, I can confidently say a lot of skills were displayed in this tournament.

“I’m convinced that, in the near future, we will have more competent players to represent Nigeria in international competitions.

“Across the states, we will have enough players to field and integrate into the national teams.

“The future of wheelchair basketball in Nigeria is very bright,” he said.

Popoola added that wheelchair basketball in the country was, however, facing some challenges.

“The major challenge is the availability or procurement of wheelchairs. We need more wheelchairs across the nation.

“Without enough wheelchairs, our players can’t improve in the game.

“Wheelchairs are urgently needed at the state and zonal levels for players. There’s also a need for more competitions to allow them to exhibit their skills and improve,” he said.

The Federation's Technical Director emphasized the importance of ensuring that people living with disabilities understood that their condition was unfortunate but not the end of the world.

“That’s not the end of the world. Being blind does not mean being visionless.

“In sports, many physically challenged athletes are making Nigeria proud. At international competitions, these athletes often win more medals for the country,” he pointed out.

Winners at the competition received cash prizes, with Lagos receiving ₦500,000, Delta getting ₦300,000, and Kwara receiving ₦200,000.

During the competition, each team was provided with accommodation, one meal per day for the two-day event, and ₦150,000 as an appearance fee.

Each team was also required to have a minimum of two women on the court during each game, as the competition featured a mix of male and female players.

Lagos emerges champions of maiden edition of Invitational Wheelchair Basketball Tournament

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