Rivers Hoopers get government commendation over basketball league's win

Posted : 20 November 2024

The Rivers State government has praised the Rivers Hoopers for their consecutive victory in the Nigeria Basketball League on Monday.

The Basketball Stadium in Port Harcourt was charged with excitement as it hosted top basketball enthusiasts for the 2024 NBBF Men’s Premier Basketball League Final 8 Championship.

Watch NPFL Matches LIVE: https://www.africasport.net/livetv/nigeria

The Final 8 series brought together the top four teams from the Atlantic and Savannah Conferences, each competing fiercely for the prestigious ticket to represent Nigeria at the Basketball Africa League (BAL).

After the group matches, defending champions Rivers Hoopers, Nile University, Hoops ‘N’ Read, and Gboko City Chiefs advanced to the semi-finals. The championship culminated in an all-Atlantic final where Hoops ‘N’ Read faced Rivers Hoopers. The Kingsmen secured their title with a commanding 71-54 win, earning a return ticket to the BAL Championship, where they placed third last year. Earlier in the day, Gboko City Chiefs edged Nile University 63-60 in a hard-fought third-place match.

During the final, the President of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), Engineer Ahmadu Musa Kida, expressed his gratitude to the Rivers State government and its citizens for hosting another successful Final 8 Championship for the second year in a row.

“This is another sweet homecoming for me. Port Harcourt has always been home to me and, of course, to Nigerian basketball.

“On behalf of Nigerian basketball stakeholders and the executive board members of the NBBF, I extend a heartfelt thank you to His Excellency, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, for his immense support and encouragement to the NBBF and the development of sports in the country,” Kida said.

Kida also commended the Rivers State Commissioner of Sports, Barrister Chris Green, for ensuring the championship ran smoothly by providing the necessary support to the NBBF.

The elated NBBF President revealed plans to make next year’s championship bigger and better, thanking organizations that submitted bids to host the finals and encouraging further participation in other NBBF programs scheduled for the coming year.

The finals, played before a packed crowd, were attended by top government officials, basketball enthusiasts, and stakeholders, including the Chairman of the Imo State Basketball Association, Kelechi Anosike.

Rivers Hoopers get government commendation over basketball league's win

ADD A COMMENT :

Hot Topics