Veteran Former Nigeria's National Basketball Team Coach, Chief Alabi Adelanwa has lauded the performance of the Junior D'Tigress for picking one of the two tickets for Africa in the forthcoming FIBA U-19 Women's Worldcup in 2025, despite their 56-76 points loss to the Malian girls who emerged as eventual champions on Sunday at the FIBA Africa U-18 Competition in Pretoria, South Africa
The legendary Adelanwa in a chat with Edu-Biznews at his country home in Abeokuta , the Ogun State capital was full of praises for the Engr. Musa Kids led Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) for ensuring that the girls secured one of the two worldcup tickets for Africa, after beating Uganda 71-67 in the semi-final of the competition
The Owu-Abeokuta kingdom Chief was impressed with the outing of both the Junior D'Tigers who crashed out in the quarter final to Mali and their female counter part, Junior D'Tigress beaten in the final by Mali, saying they should be commended for their respective performances considering the inadequate facilities for basketball in the country
Adelanwa therefore called on the State Governments to emulate Rivers State who is seriously investing in development of sporting facilities particularly in the game of basketball
'We don't have enough facilities for the development of basketball , how many states have infrastructure for basketball courts, for instance in Ogun State, you go 15 to 20 Kilometers without locating basketball hall, other states should emulate Rivers States who invested substantially in the development of basketball and giving the needed support to the basketball association in the state as reflected in the impressive performance of Rivers Hoopers who won Nigerian basketball league and emerged as the third best team in FIBA Africa Clubs Championship ", he appealed
Investment In Sports according to him, is an investment in the future of the country which no government will ever regret for doing so
Adelanwa who produced the likes of legends National Basketball Association NBA former stars , Akeem Olajuwon and Olumide Oyedeji who later captained Nigeria's D'Tigers, stressed the need to invest heavily in the development of sporting infrastructure, particularly in basketball to attract private sector, so as to sustain the top ten world rating for female team, D'Tigress and encourage young Nigerians in primary and secondary schools to develop interest in the game of basketball
He maintained that government at all levels must stop playing politics with the development of sports, saying round pecs should be put in round holes to attract prospective corporate organizations to invest in the sports sector which must be seen as a serious business capable of transforming economic fortune of Nigeria which is blessed with abundant talented athletes and players in various sports
The veteran coach however singled out the efforts of President of NBBF, Engr. Kida whom he described as a round pec in round hole who is contributing to the high rating of Nigeria in Africa and globally in the game of basketball
"Musa Kida who played in the national team under me understands the game and speaks the language of the game, he can speak German, French and English fluently, so he understands the international politics behind the game of basketball, so Nigeria as a country is doing so well under him as the president of NBBF"
The 85 year old who is among the early starters of basketball in Nigeria, appealed to other states to emulate the likes of Lagos, Delta and Rivers States who are investing in sports infrastructure and attracting corporate organizations
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