15th May, 2013
As the DStv-sponsored Nigeria men’s basketball league enters Week 4 in both the Atlantic and Savannah Conferences this weekend, all eyes will be on Oluyole Warriors of Ibadan.
The Oyo State owned club, who only this season regained their top flight league status after playing in the lower league for over 14 years, have began life in the league on a commanding note by winning all the six games they have played so far.
The Warriors received no favours from the league board as they were paired against the defending champions, Royal Hoopers of Port Harcourt in their first match of the season.
Playing in their home court inside the Indoor Sports Hall of Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, Ibadan, the coach Yemi Abiodun-led team did not allow themselves to be overwhelmed by the champions as they outdunked the Port Harcourt boys by 67-41 points.
In the second match played 24 hours after the first match, the Warriors inflicted another defeat on the away team winning the match by 57-52 points to the delight of the home fans who stormed the stadium to cheer their darling team to victory.
The back to back victory the Oluyole boys-as the Warriors team are called by their fans- recorded against the coach Ogor Odaudu-led Hoopers came as a surprise to pundits of the league in the Atlantic Conference.
The Warriors continued their winning streak against the Nigeria Customs in the Week 2 fixture played inside the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium in Surulere, Lagos.
Despite trailing Customs up to the last quarter of the two matches played in Lagos, the Oluyole boys, captained by Femi Adekanye, went ahead to defeat the Customs team led by experienced coach, Scott Nnaji, by 53-56 and 82-83 points.
When Police Baton visited Ibadan on 11 May to play against Warriors in one of the Week 3 fixtures, their hope was to record a win against the home team to improve on the two wins and two losses they have recorded in the new season. What they got was a back to back defeats against a spirited and hard fighting Oluyole boys. The Warriors won by 93-80 and 78-73.
Reacting after the match on his team’s dominant form since their return to the league, Coach Abiodun expressed happiness about the team’s form, adding that the secrets of their victories are hard work, perseverance and team work.
“We have had a great season so far having won six matches in a row; my team are focused and we will continue to work harder and play as a team,’’ Abiodun said.
The Chairman of Oyo State Basketball Association, Babatunde Babalola, a devoted supporter of Warriors, while speaking after their match against the Police team, congratulated the Warriors for the feat recorded so far in the league. He charged them to continue the winning streak. He promised his support to the team.
Meanwhile, the unbeaten run of the Warriors has not gone without comments from some club owners, coaches and pundits of league.
Coach Odaudu of Royal Hoopers, whose team had suffered two defeats against the Warriors this season, believes the present unbeaten run of the Oyo State owned team would not last beyond few weeks.
Odaudu pointed out that the Warriors were able to beat Hoopers because of the weak team they took to Ibadan in the first week of the season, adding that the Warriors’ real test will come when they play teams like Comets, Dodan Warriors and Islanders in Lagos.
“The Oluyole boys are not as fantastic as the results they are presently recording look like. We played them with only seven players in our first match and they were not convincing in the two defeats we suffered in Ibadan. By the time they play the real Lagos teams, the likes of Comets, Islanders and the Dodan Warriors, people will know how good they are,” Odaudu told P.M.NEWS Sports recently in Lagos.
Also commenting on the winning streak being recorded by the Warriors, the Technical Adviser of Dodan Warriors, Adeeka Daodu said the Oluyole Warriors deserve some commendations for the wins they have achieved so far in their comeback to the premier league, but said: “I am not bothered with their victories because we (Dodan Warriors) know how to deal with them.”
The Proprietor of Islanders, Damoye Oshikaye said: “I don’t want to believe that Oluyole team are all that good that they have been beating at their home ground.”
—Bamidele Olowosagba