DStv Men’s League: Warriors, Hoopers Battle For Playoffs Ticket

With three teams already qualified for the Top Four Playoffs in the Atlantic Conference of DStv sponsored Nigeria Basketball League, Oluyole Warriors of Ibadan and Royal Hoopers of Port Harcourt are in a tight race to clinch the remaining ticket available for the tourney.

Union Bank, Dodan Warriors and Lagos Islanders have qualified for the Atlantic Conference’s playoffs billed to take place inside the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium in Surulere, Lagos from 6-8 August, 2013 after they earned 47, 47 and 41 points respectively.

Both Warriors and Hoopers would go into their last outstanding matches against Police Batons of Lagos and Lagos Islanders respectively today with an eye for victory in order to qualify for the playoffs.

Going into today’s match, the Coach Yemi Abiodun-led Warriors are uncomfortably placed fourth in the Atlantic Conference’s standing with a total of 42 points, four points ahead of Hoopers after playing one game more than the Port Harcourt team.

Pundits of the sport believe Hoopers could clinch the remaining playoffs ticket from Warriors because they would be playing against Islanders today and Thursday in their home court in Port Harcourt.

On their part, the Oluyole Boys, as the Warriors are popularly called, would have to confront the Police Batons inside the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium in Surulere, Lagos.

The Police team, who are at the foot of the Atlantic Conference standing with 35 points, are fighting to avoid being relegated from Nigerian basketball league top flight.

Other team also aiming to avoid relagation are Comets of Lagos. With 37 points, Comets are two points above the last placed team in the Conference.

Commenting on the dire situation they found themselves, assistant coach of the former league champions, Charles Osho said: “So many reasons were responsible to why we are where we are today. But I wouldn’t want to go into details right now becaue there is no excuse, we have failed to live up to the huge potentials we have in our team.  “Now that our hope of avoiding relegation is no longer in our hands, we have to wait and hope results of other matches on Wednesday works in our favour.”

—Bamidele Olowosagba