Adeolu Rates League High

Adeolu Ojo, a player of Kada Stars Basketball Club of Kaduna, says the coming of DSTV as the main sponsor of the men’s league is a good omen to the development of the dunking game in the country.

Ojo, who hails from Kwara State told P.M.Sports that the live telecast of the country’s league on the cable television network has given basketball more popularity in Nigeria.

Ojo who started playing active basketball four years ago said: “I think the coming of DSTV to Nigerian basketball and indeed the sponsorship of the men’s league have done us more good. Unlike in the past, the players are now playing regular matches. Nigerian basketball is now being watch on the DSTV all over the world. This is the best thing to have happened to our game in recent times.”

Ojo, started playing club basketball with Kada Stars at the KADA 2009 National Sports Festival, hosted by Kaduna state. He said the qualification of his team from the Savannah Conference for the NBBF/DSTV Final 8 Playoffs, to be played in either Lagos or Port Harcourt next month, will see more opportunity coming the way of young players like him to breaak into national limelight.

“I think the Final 8 Playoffs will give me the opportunity of rubbing shoulders with players from other conferences in the league. I’m so excited when we secured the ticket to play in the Final 8 Playoffs. So, I’m looking forward to the competition with excitement,” said Ojo, who played in the NBBF All Stars Games in 2010 and 2011 editions as well as the Basketball Without Borders programme.

To the Theatre/Performing Arts graduate of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, knowing early enough that basketball would be his career is a good thing to have happened in his life.

He said: “Though I studied Theatre/Performing Arts in the university but, I’m glad playing basketball today. My parents who are both professors did not prevent me from playing basketball. I could recollect that they gave their consent and even encouraged me that I should be good in my studies and the game. This was a parental support that motivated me and it has been a guiding spirit to me since then.”