Youths who are into sports have been advised to combine education with sports so that later in life they will have something to fall back on.

The Executive Chairman of Kwara State Sports Commissions, Mallam Bola Magaji gave the advice when Ex Basketball players who are in the state to organise a one- day Basketball tournament for secondary schools paid courtesy visit to his office on Tuesday.

Magaji commended the ex players for their efforts to develop the youths and coming
to give back the society.

He enjoined them not to relent in the efforts as they are helping to develop the sports in the state.

The ex players while responding implored the Commission to help inform the government to increase the subvension of Kwara Falcons Basketball team.

The final of the tournament which is being organised by the Ex players in conjunction with the Kwara state Basketball Association will come up by 4pm today.

Kwara Falcons Basketball Club will begin the second phase of the Mark D Ball Championship tagged “Sweet Sixteen” with a clash against Civil Defenders on Sunday at the Indoor Sport Hall of the package B stadium, Abuja.

Having won five, lost two of the seven group games to place third in the first phase, Coach Baba Jubril tutored side have been drawn alongside Nigeria Civil Defense (NSCDC), Suleja Bull Dogs and FCT Hard rockets in Group D of the second tie of the tournament.

The Championship tip off on Saturday but Falcons will take to the court on Sunday against Defenders by 5pm with games against FCT Hardrockets and Suleja Bull Dogs to follow on Monday and Tuesday respectively where the top two teams in all four groups advances to the Elite Eight.

The Organising Committee of Mark D Ball Basketball Championship has announced that the round of 16 will be played between May 7 -10, 2022 at the MKO Abiola Stadium, Abuja.

Bolaji Lawal

Media Manager, Kwara Falcons

Steve Onishola’ contribution to the game of Basketball has been recognised with a posthumous Merit award from the Kwara State Basketball Family.

During a ceremonial event held at the Outdoor Court of the Kwara State Stadium on Sunday 17th Jan 2021, Babatunde Onishola, son of Elder Steve who came alongside his wife and children, collected the award on behalf of the family.

Speaking to the Public, Babatunde, said the Support his family received from the basketball family, Kwara State Sport Council & other individuals was massive while praising every one for their kind gesture as he prayed that Basketball in the state will continue to soar higher.

A Statement from the State basketball association said: “Coach Steve did alot in community building, philanthropy and inspiration that extended beyond the basketball court. You could tell how much he meant to people from the reaction to his death and we just felt it was right to honour him and his family this way”.

The Kwara Basketball Veterans supported by other individuals, also celebrated the achievements of one of it’s own, Rasheed Bello, Ex-Lagos Islander, who was given a merit award for his outstanding contribution to the game during his playing days.

Earlier in the day, Vikings overpower Rockstar 53-50 to emerge champions of the memorial championship (1st Prolific Basketball Tournament) held in name of the former Kwara Falcons Technical Director while Team Westside ended up in third place.

Cash Prizes and other individual awards was as well dish out to the top three teams and other outstanding players at the colourful ceremony attended by Director, Kwara state Sport Council, Coach Atanda Alarape, Mallam Tunde Kazeem, Alhaji Abdulfatah Dankazeem amongst others.

Steve Onishola’s death on 7th Jan, 2021 age 72 following a brief illness, has sparked both mourning and celebrations of an icon who was a player, coach and game official who officiated in the then African basketball championship now called Afro basket, All African Games and African clubs championship on numerous occasions spanning over 15 years.

In a day of high emotion, the basketball icon remains was taken to his home town, Aranloye Compound, – where he was interred around 10:00am – before a church ceremony of his family and close friends who had arrived Isin in large numbers after the public wake held on Thursday, 14th Jan 2021 at the Outdoor Basketball court of the Kwara state stadium.

Many in tears, wore T-shirts with picture and name of the deceased boldly emblemed on it , gathered in the streets and around Aranloye Compound, triggering an outpouring of grief, tributes and spontaneous celebration.

Chairman of the Kwara State Basketball Association, Dr Joseph Adeyemo led the tributes as he said: ” Coach Steve epitomizes basketball, he lived and breath the game till his last breathe, his death has left a huge void in the basketball community but his memories will forever lives on”. Similarly, another basketball veteran, Sule Yankee who coach and played alongside Coach steve, called him a “dear friend” who will perform a task to the letters.

President of the Nigeria Basketball Federation, Engr Musa Kids in his own Submission, recognises Steve’s contribution: ” He’s an ardent basketball lover,a man of peace,humble and caring. He was a FIBA batched referee with the likes of Chris Obojememe, Jimmy Ahmed in the 80’s. Steve will be missed”. He said.

Tunde Popoola, Chairman of Nigeria Basketball Referees Association, described Coach Steve as an elder brother whose advice, commitments and support to basketball help shape him and many other Referees to top standard.

In reaction, Coach Atanda Alarape, Director of Sports, Kwara State Sports Council respected the late FIBA’s commissioner principles which reflects on his doings.

Describing his father, Babatunde Onishola said: “Dad has left us but he will never leave us because he’s eternal, he lived for the game throughout his life time and was a simple and generous human”.

Others members of the Nigeria Basketball Community who paid tributes to the late coach were Coach Wale of Oluyole Warriors, Rasheed Bello, Perpetual Clement, Elder Mike Aina, Prof Dominic, Oba Zulu, Bello Azeez, Coach Baba Jubril, Players & Officials of Kwara Falcons.

Others in the Nigeria Sport Industry are Chairman, Kwara State Weigh Lifting Association, Dr Steve Olarinoye, Coach Bola Mogaji (Member, Nigeria Squash Federation), Coach Tunde Kazeem ( Member, Nigeria Badminton Federation), Mrs Sarah Bola Esan (Member, Nigeria Women in Sport) amongst other individuals including church leaders and individuals.

Meanwhile, the grand finale of the basketball tournament in memory of Late Coach Steve tagged “1st Profilic Basketball Tournament” will be held on Sunday 17th, 2021 at the Outdoor Basketball court of the state stadium by 4:00pm where a Posthumous award will be given to honour the deceased.

The President said that as a country with huge potential in basketball, there should be a high competitive basketball league for men which will give players, coaches and officials a chance to develop their skills.

Having recently acquired a 150m naira sponsorship deal from Total Nigeria for the Divisions One and Two leagues, Kida said that organizing a robust premier league would never have been a problem without the legal encumbrances.

“They handcuffed us and slapped us and we cannot cry. We are legally stopped from having that league. The sad part of this is that the Kwese League Management Board under Olamide Oyedeji and Gombe Bulls took us to court to stop us from running a league of which people claim to have the interest of basketball at heart.”

He wondered how people who go about professing their undying love for the game could embark on such destructive plan just to prove a point politically.

Kida said claiming to love and promote basketball while stopping thousands of stakeholders from playing basketball at the highest level is hard to reconcile.

“I am still trying to reconcile how for the love of the game, you people have taken us to court as NBBF to stop clubs from playing, to stop players from earning, to stop coaches from improving themselves and stop many clubs from continental and global representation all in the name of politics. It does not add up”

In their quest to ensure that basketball players in the premier league get engaged, Kida said, “I as President decided to have a champion for Nigeria so I can propose for participation continentally without a sponsor to go ahead to organize what we called a President Cup for all the clubs that were in the premier league, give them a chance to play while we try to vacate the injunction in court.”

For him, the continued legal battle and its attendant adjournments in the last three years is nothing short of deliberate political antics targeted at wasting the board’s tenure.

“We organized President Cup, some clubs did not come but most of them participated and I personally was cited for contempt. These same people who took us to court in the first instance made a submission to the court that we were trying to circumvent the injunction by doing a President Cup”.

He is of the opinion that Nigeria should have a lot of championships which should never stop the Premier Basketball from going on.

“If they have a problem, let them take me to court, let them take NBBF to court”, Kida concluded

Ikechukwu Benjamin recorded 20 points, 1 assist and 3 rebounds on a night that the team under Coach Ogoh Odaudu got everything right.

The duo of Anthony Koko and Solomon Ajegbeyi scored 15 points and 11 points apiece.

Rivers Hooper’s Abdul Yahaya bagged the Most Valuable Player award as well as a place in the competition’s top five players of the tournament alongside Godwin David (Kwara Falcons), Gabriel Erameh (Niger Potters), Ginikachukwu Godspower (Raptors) and Ikechukwu Godwin (Rivers Hoopers).

Ebuka Innocent of Raptors bagged the Highest Rebounder award while Victor Anthony emerged Highest blocked shots winner.

Oyebanji Mustapha (Kwara Falcons) emerged highest scorer of the competition while the Highest three points award went to Ginikachukwu Godpower (Raptors)

Kwara Falcons are now the third best team in Nigeria after defeating Niger Potters in the third place game of the NBBF President Cup 78-77 points