Basketball: Nigeria For Nairobi Tourney

As a force to reckon with in Africa, a team in Nigeria have been invited to take part in a basketball tourney tagged ‘Slam Fest’, holding at the Aswani Stadium in Nairobi, Kenya.

The inaugural slam and dunk tourney is billed to hold 17-19 August with Nigeria competing alongside seven other African nations, including hosts, Kenya.

This information was disclosed to P.M.Sports by a representative of the organisers of the tourney, Michael Wanguhu, at the National Stadium in Surulere, Lagos.

Wanguhu, who came into the country courtesy of the President of Dodan Warriors club, Col. Sam Ahmedu, retd, with his six-man team, said “We are in Nigeria to check out various teams in the country and for us to know if they would be fit for the festival. And with what I’ve seen in the last two days that I’ve been in Nigeria, I think Nigeria could win the tournament”.

He also informed that apart from Nigeria, other countries that would be competing at the tourney include; Senegal; Kenya; Benin; Sudan; Rwanda; Tanzania and Uganda.

Speaking on the chances of Nigeria’s senior national team, D’Tigers, at the Olympic qualifying tournament holding in Caracas, Venezuela in July, Wanguhu said he is confident Nigeria would not only qualify for the Games, but go far at the Olympics proper.

He said: “Professional basketball in Nigeria is big and more competitive than what obtains in Kenya and most countries in Africa, where only fewer teams make up their league compared to the 16 teams in the Nigerian League.”

Wanguhu further disclosed that they intend to capture the Nigerian basketball spirit in a television programme, Passport Africa that would prelude the Slamfest tourney.

—Jordan Olanipekun