11th July, 2011
Hosts of the just concluded National Sports Festival Rivers State, emerged winners of the men and women basketball event at the tourney as its men and women teams came out victorious at their respective final games.
The male team, which had caused an upset on their way to the final by bundling out the defending champions, Kaduna State never looked back as they defeated their counterparts from Lagos State in an entertaining grand finale with 75-63 points.
The host’ team enjoyed their home fans’ support as the game was watched by a large crowd. The fans were not disappointed as the male team seized the initiative right from the start of the first quarter and dominated through out the infringement-laden first half of the game.
The second half was a different story as the Lagos team came out smoking and shot to a clear lead with the Rivers’ team taking the back seat. At a point both teams went neck to neck as the score was tied.
However, with about 10 minutes left on the clock, the beat changed as the Rivers’ team took charge of proceedings by virtue of combination of errors and lack of man marking by the Lagos team.
The Lagos team eventually lost grip of the match as the hosts’ team buoyed by its vociferous fans ran home with victory from a 10 point deficit in the 4th quarter.
Kaduna male team got the bronze medals as they dismissed their opponent in a one sided game that preceded the Final Game.
The women’s Final was never a bit less interesting as the women teams of Rivers state and Delta State contest for supremacy at the Adokie Amiesimaka stadium.
The Rivers state ladies led the game from start to finish as they looked more enterprising with their artistry display of basketball skills despite the towering figure of the Delta state ladies.
Rivers state eventually came out tops at the end of the fourth quarter with 54-43 points to be become champions while the Lagos team won their third place game and went home with the Bronze Medals.