Traditionally, the male premier basketball league tips off around March and spans for about four to five months with each team playing a total of 14 games in regular season (7 home games and 7 away games). Last season, the Nigerian Basketball Federation (NBBF) had to improvise as there were only 5 teams in the Atlantic Conference. This saw teams play the same opponent twice a week leading to a total of 16 games for the regular season for the affected Atlantic Conference teams. However, the NBBF is making a huge jump from previous years by announcing a total of 28 regular season games for the 2017 Season of the Premier Basketball League. There will be four rounds of action in regular season with each team playing against all the other teams in the conference in each round. At the end of the four rounds, each team would have played 2 home and 2 away games against every other team each respective conference. In the past few years, basketball stakeholders have expressed displeasure over the few number of games in the league arguing that it is not enough for the development of the players, the teams and the league as a whole. This move from the NBBF will be the first time in recent years that the teams will have a sizable number of games and the reaction from club representatives is as expected. "This is a good one. It is good for the players and teams. With the number of games, players now have enough time to understand themselves, master their plays and perform better. Teams can also properly for the season, come up with revenue generating ideas and increase fan attendance. The grand finale is in September which means the top two teams that will represent the country at the continental championship won't be rusty when its time for qualifiers" - Azeez Bello, Secretary of the Kwara State Basketball Association. In the news bit released by the Rivers Hoopers, the Head Coach Ogoh Odaudu also expressed his delight with new format. 'It is way better than what we had last season because we are playing more games, the more the games the better it is. By the time the players are getting into form, that's when they find out the games are over after playing 16 games in the regular season. But with 28 games, you have lots and lots of opportunity to correct all your wrongs that you may find. If it were to be more than that, it would have been better but we will make do with what we have right now' Not all teams pay their players all year round. A number of them pay only for the duration of the league. With this 2017 format, such players get to earn to little bit more. Making it to the Final Eight Playoffs gives them an additional month's pay including other allowances and match bonuses. Although, this is a good initiative, it can get better. What we would like to see is for games to be played across conferences. Teams from the Atlantic Conference need to travel to the Savannah to play teams there and vice versa. Not only will this increase the number of games to 30, it will also increase the competitiveness and fan experience. The Conference Six Playoffs and the Final Eight are played in Lagos. So the Savannah fans never get to see the Atlantic teams play and the Atlantic teams do not get the opportunity to host the Savannah teams in their home court. Coach Odaudu feels the same way; "I would have preferred more games like we had 8 or 9 years ago when the road trip was in existence where you have to go to the Savannah Conference and still play all the teams there. It would have been better if we had opportunity to face the teams in the Savannah Conference before the final. I am hoping they will work on it in the near future and the road trip will be reintroduced.' The 2017 calendar is as follows; Regular Season - April 13 to August 5 2017 All Star Weekend - June 17 2017 Conference Six Playoffs - August 14 to 18 2017 Final Eight - September 4 to 9 2017 Championship Game - September 9 2017. Courtesy of: bballnaija.com
Club Deportivo Valdivia (Liga Nacional) inked 26-year old Nigerian international shooting guard Bryant Mbamalu (191-88kg-91, college: La-Lafayette). He has a double citizenship as he also holds American passport. Mbamalu played in the summer at Lagos Warriors in Nigerian D2 league. The last season he played at Agustinos-Leclerc in Spanish LEB Silver where in 27 games he averaged impressive 15.1ppg, 4.3rpg and 1.7apg. He received also Afrobasket.com All-Afrobasket Championships 2nd Team aw... [read more]
Club Deportivo Valdivia (Liga Nacional) inked 26-year old Nigerian international shooting guard Bryant Mbamalu (191-88kg-91, college: La-Lafayette). He has a double citizenship as he also holds American passport. Mbamalu played in the summer at Lagos Warriors in Nigerian D2 league. The last season he played at Agustinos-Leclerc in Spanish LEB Silver where in 27 games he averaged impressive 15.1ppg, 4.3rpg and 1.7apg. He received also Afrobasket.com All-Afrobasket Championships 2nd Team award in 2017. Mbamalu's college team won Sun Belt Tournament in 2014. Mbamalu represented Nigeria at the Afrobasket Championships this year. His team won Silver and his stats at that event were 6 games: 14.3ppg, 4.3rpg, 2.3apg, 1.8spg, FGP: 66.7%, 3PT: 31.0%, FT: 46.7%. Mbamalu has played previously professionally in Dominican Republic (Sameji) and Spain (Fontedoso Carrefour). He attended University Louisiana at Lafayette until 2014 and it will be his fourth season in pro basketball. Mbamalu's game is described as:
Bryant is a tough, hard nose player. He is a great scorer and defender. His ball handling skills allow him to get anywhere on the court he wants to. Bryant can create for others and himself easily. He is athletic and fast with the ball in his hand. He can get around his defender at any point he desires. Bryant is physically able to guard positions 1-3. He was MVP in a conference with Elfrid Payton of Orlando Magics and R J Hunter of Boston Celtics. Bryant is a Top level player.
Nigeria men league champion, Kano Pillars basketball club is aiming at doing the nation proud at the 2017 Africa Champions Cup competition slated for later in the year. Pillars head coach, Sani Ahmed is confident that the club will not lower the standard already attained with great runs of the Nigeria national teams at the 2017 AfroBasket for Women and Men. Kano Pillars basketball club according to Coach Ahmed will be looking to break it's 30 years jinx of making it to the podium in T... [read more]
Nigeria men league champion, Kano Pillars basketball club is aiming at doing the nation proud at the 2017 Africa Champions Cup competition slated for later in the year.
Pillars head coach, Sani Ahmed is confident that the club will not lower the standard already attained with great runs of the Nigeria national teams at the 2017 AfroBasket for Women and Men.
Kano Pillars basketball club according to Coach Ahmed will be looking to break it's 30 years jinx of making it to the podium in Tunisia.
In a brief chat with our correspondent Coach Ahmed who was part of the club bronze medal winning effort in 1987 in Alexandria, Egypt as a players says the club is ready for the task ahead.
'We know a lot of African teams will pay more attention to any team coming from Nigeria as a result of the great performance of our women and men national teams at the AfroBasket but we are well equipped to add more to Nigeria silverwares.
'Our goal is to also do the nation proud in our own little way which we are already working on.
The Nigerian champion defeated Gombe Bulls basketball club by74-54 points on September 9th in Kano and went home with N20 million naira ($55,000) while the Bulls got N15 million naira ($41,000) with Hoops and Read basketball club owned by former Nigeria captain, Olumide Oyedeji finished third and was rewarded with N10 million naira ($27,000).
Pillars and Bulls will represent Nigeria in the Zone-3 qualifiers for men while First Bank and First Deepwater basketball clubs will fly the country flag in the women.
London Lightning inks Olaniyi Akingkube - 1 day ago
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London Lightning (NBL Canada) agreed terms with American (has also Nigerian passport) center Olaniyi Akingkube (208-102kg, college: N.Carolina A&T). He played last summer at Denver-FAS San Salvador in Salvadorean Liga MB. In 27 games he had very impressive stats: 16.2ppg, 13.3rpg, 1.8apg and 1.4bpg. A very spectacular season in his career as he was named to Latinbasket.com All-El Salvador Liga Mayor Torneo Apertura Honorable Mention. Akingkube won El Salvador Liga Superior Clausura champi... [read more]
London Lightning (NBL Canada) agreed terms with American (has also Nigerian passport) center Olaniyi Akingkube (208-102kg, college: N.Carolina A&T). He played last summer at Denver-FAS San Salvador in Salvadorean Liga MB. In 27 games he had very impressive stats: 16.2ppg, 13.3rpg, 1.8apg and 1.4bpg. A very spectacular season in his career as he was named to Latinbasket.com All-El Salvador Liga Mayor Torneo Apertura Honorable Mention. Akingkube won El Salvador Liga Superior Clausura championship title in 2016. He has played previously professionally in TRBL (Greensboro Cobras). Akingkube graduated from North Carolina A&T State University in 2015 and it will be his third season as a professional player.
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