Igwe, Former Players Back New Basketball Academies League in Abuja

Igwe, Former Players Back New Basketball Academies League in Abuja

By Admin 

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) is set to witness the launch of a new grassroots basketball competition designed to discover and nurture talents across the six Area Councils, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

The initiative took centre stage in Abuja on Friday as basketball administrators, former players, coaches and other stakeholders gathered for the official unveiling of the Amateur Basketball Academies League.

Speaking during the press conference, the host of the event and Caretaker Chairman of the FCT Basketball Association, His Royal Highness Eze Ifeanyi Eke, stressed the importance of sustained investment, strategic partnerships and collective commitment toward the growth of basketball at the grassroots level.

He expressed strong support for the initiative and pledged his commitment to the development of the league among basketball academies in the FCT.

Eze Ifeanyi Eke also commended coaches for their dedication to mentoring young players and helping shape the future of the sport.

“The coaches remain the foundation of basketball development and the major drivers of players’ growth and team success,” he said.

“We must continue to support coaches and academies because they are shaping the future of Nigerian basketball.”

Founder of the initiative and President of the Amateur Basketball Academies, Professor Lucky Abubakar, said the project was conceived to revive community basketball, create opportunities for young athletes and strengthen the development structure of the sport across the country.

Abubakar, who is also a Deputy Comptroller of the Nigeria Customs Service, noted that the competition would provide exposure for players, coaches and scouts within the domestic basketball community.

“We are committed to creating opportunities for young players to develop their skills and compete at a high level,” he said.

“The tournament will serve as a platform to identify future stars capable of representing Nigeria in international competitions.”

According to the organisers, the pilot edition of the league is scheduled to begin in July in the FCT, with 20 male and female teams expected to participate.

The competition is aimed at providing a platform for emerging talents to showcase their abilities while promoting grassroots basketball development.

Organisers also revealed plans to expand the league to other states in future editions as part of broader efforts to deepen basketball development nationwide.

A major highlight of the event was the unveiling of the league trophies.

Among dignitaries present at the event were members of the Amateur Basketball Academies Board, including Madam Theresa Ahmed, Coach Mike Akubor, Coach Odaudu Adeka, Coach Emmanuel Odah, and the General Manager of NTA Sports 24, Kayode Adeniyi.