Lagos State Basketball team are the winner of the Rising Stars U-16 Basketball Championship after they out dunked Oyo Basketball team 60-57 points in a keenly contested final tie played on Sunday at the Ondo State Sports Complex, Akure.
Osun State Under 16 Basketball Team coasted home to a bronze medal at Basketball Championship after they defeated Ogun State by 60-49 points to end the championship in the third position while Ogun finished fourth.
The weeklong competition, powered by a renowned, International Basketball player, Olumide Oyedeji Youth Foundation involved teams from all South Western State of Nigeria.
Team Osun, under the tutelage of experienced, veteran Coach Taiwo Ajibola popularly called ‘Eleniyan’ walloped Team Ogun (66-50), hammered Team Ekiti (49-38) and cruised past Team Ondo (60-57) but surrendered to Team Oyo (58-81) as well as the eventual champions, Team Lagos (55-87) to drop to the third place.
The ‘Eleniyan Boys’ however did double over Ogun State with a resounding 60-49 victory in the third-place to finish second runners up.
Ajibola, who praised the young lads for their doggedness appreciated all those who always support Team Osun Basketball Team such as Osun Chairman of the club, Engineer Opeyemi Babalola among others whenever there is a clarion call to represent the state
“It’s not by our making but through God’s grace and the support we receive from people,” Ajibola said in quotes made available to www.dasportstainment247.com.
“Though we are not satisfied by finishing 3rd bronze medal too is not bad. We shall continue to train very hard to become champions in the next edition.”
To cap it up, a teenage sensation from Team Osun, Adewale Rasaq of Fakunle Unity High School, Osogbo received an award as one of the best five players of the tournament selected by the organisers and coordinators of the event.
The initiator of the Rising Stars U-16 Basketball Championship and former skipper of the D’Tiger, Olumide Oyedeji said he decided to stage it to ensure that South West has developmental plans for basketball at the grassroots.
He said part of the activities held at the Championship in Akure included career talks, motivational speech, awareness among others.
“The Championship was for the six states in the South West. It was meant for basketballers who are not more than 16 years old,” Oyedeji told www.dasportstainment247.com.
“I decided to stage this because we have not really had young or development basket ball programme in the country for some time now to give the youth’s sense of belonging.
“It goes beyond basketball. There is going to be career talk, motivational speech, awareness among others.”
