Save Basketball From Extinction, Player Pleads

A passionate appeal has gone out to the administrators of basketball in Nigeria to save  the game from extinction.

The appeal is coming from a basketball player, Arinze Nelly, a point-guard for a  professional basketball club, Raptors.

He said the administrators of the sport have not done enough to move the game forward,  arguing that with the right attitude from them, the sport has the potential to develop   more than what the country has now.

Speaking with P.M.Sports at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, Nigeria, the player  said the fortunes of the sport would have been better if the administrators have the love  of the game at heart.

He urged the Federal Government to compel individuals and corporate bodies in the country  to set up basketball clubs that would participate in the Premier League. In his opinion,  such effort would help discover and nurture basketball players in the country.

“If only the government could establish more basketball clubs in the cities and put more  effort into the publicity of the game,  people will stop seeing the sport as ordinary”.

The basketballer believes the government concentrates solely on football, abandoning  other sports. This is also evident in the dwindling fortunes that other sports have  suffered in recent times.

Nelly admonished the Federal Government for abandoning the U-17 basketball team, who are  expected to be playing friendly games to intensify their preparation for championships.

He said: “we need the U-17 team and also the leagues in order to help improve the game in  Nigeria”.

He concluded: “basketball is a lifely game and should be allowed to go into extinction.  I’m also appealing on behalf of other sports, they should be looked into”.

—Jolaolu Moyosore