Sports

NBBF Promotes Shooters To Division One

Published

12 years ago

November 5, 2014

Zamfara Shooters
basketball team of Gusau defeated Gilali of FCT 79-77 in the final of the National Men’s Basketball Division Two Championship in Abuja to book a Division One promotion ticket.
The championship, which took place at the Indoor Sports Hall of the Abuja National Stadium, was organised by the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF).
Both teams had won all their four games going into the final.
They displayed good basketball skills in a tightly contested final game, but it was Zamfara team which edged out Gilali of FCT at the end of the fourth quarter.
The stand out player for Gilali was their captain, Hassan Abubakar who made a total of 30 points for his team.
Uche Okeke was the man of the match after he scored 38 points and also made the decisive basket that sent Gilali packing.
Coach Sani Bello of Zamfara told newsmen after the match that he was happy that his team won the final match.
“I am happy that we won, though it was a difficult game. We have been winning since the beginning of this competition, but we have once again proved to be unbeatable.
“My players have been doing very well and I am finally glad that we took the trophy. We are now promoted to the division one.
He, however, advised the remaining team to work hard and always aim high.
“It was a difficult journey but I thank God we made it and I also advise other teams to continue the way they started. Surely they will get there,” he said.
Gilali’s coach Godwin Raymond was happy with his team even though they lost the final match.
“It was a tough match, in a game there is a winner and a loser, they only defeat us with just two points.
“At least I am glad we reached the final stage and we are leading division one, we have to prepare against the next tournament, do well so that we will move to division two,” he said
Okeke Uche of Zamfara Shooters was the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the tournament.
Tijani Umar, the President, Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), in his closing remarks said that the tournament was very successful; adding that he also scored it high in terms of its quality.
“The teams played very well and you could see that even the final game took us into overtime to decide a winner, which speaks volumes about the quality of the game.
“For us that is an encouragement because this is where the future of the game lies; at the grassroots,’’ he said.
In the other matches played on Friday, Solid Hits of Nasarawa defeated Pearls of Enugu 76-49 while Coal City Kings of Enugu State beat Hard Rockers of FCT 52-48 to occupy the third place.
The championships which started on October 27 came to end on Friday.

Sports

Rivers-born Chess Player Clinches Third Position At World Amateur Rapid Chess Championship

Published

2 days ago

August 10, 2026

The Tide

A veteran Rivers State chess player, Apollos Akomaka, has finished in joint 3rd place at the just-concluded World Amateur Rapid Chess Championship held in Abuja.

Akomaka, who is the director of physiotherapy at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, overcame a shaky start to secure a podium finish in the 11-round rapid event that began on August 2.

The tournament featured top chess players from several countries.

After losing his opening game, the defining moment for Akomaka came between Rounds 7 and 11.

He raised his game and began defeating some of the top-ranked players in the event.

The Rivers-born player ended the championship tied for 3rd place in the U2000 category with 6.5 points out of 11, alongside Cameroon’s national champion, Noumbo Vidal.

His final game was against Vidal, with the Nigerian playing the black pieces.

Vidal opened with a queen’s gambit but quickly transposed into an English opening with a double fianchetto attack.

Akomaka responded sharply with a king’s Indian defense and soon launched a kingside attack from a defensive position.

The pressure paid off, resulting in an immediate material gain, a knight for a rook, and leaving Akomaka with a strong attacking advantage.

Vidal fought hard to avoid mate and managed to steer the game into an endgame, where he found some respect. At that point, the Cameroon champion offered a draw, which Akomaka accepted.

Speaking after the event, Akomaka said that he is resilient and determined after the poor start but happy that he finished on the podium.

He expressed optimism that in subsequent competitions he will make Rivers State proud and Nigeria at large.

Akomaka has won both local and national chess championships in recent times.

He is passionate about chess; besides, he has equally sponsored several national chess tournaments in Nigeria.

The World Amateur Rapid Chess Championship concluded with Akomaka of Rivers State,

Nigeria, battling back from an early loss to end among the top three in his category

Tonye Orabere/Kiadum Edookor

Sports

Team Nigeria Secures Women’s 4x100m, 4x400m Finals at World U20 Championships

Published

3 days ago

August 10, 2026

The Tide

Team Nigeria continued its impressive showing at the World Athletics U20 Championships in Eugene, securing places in both the women’s 4x100m and 4x400m relay finals after strong performances in the heats.

The Nigerian quartet of Becky Ebiyadi, Jecinta Lawrence, Tejiri Praise Ugoh and Faith Ezechukwu booked their place in the women’s 4x400m final after clocking a season’s best of 3:35.28.

Nigeria finished third in the heat behind Italy and Great Britain, doing enough to advance to the final and remain firmly in contention for a medal.

In the women’s 4x100m, Ugoh joined Lucy Nwankwo, Chigozie Nwankwo and Oluebube Ezechukwu as Nigeria produced another season’s best, clocking 43.65 seconds to secure an automatic ticket to the women’s 4x100m final.

The qualification was sealed by a sensational anchor leg from Ezechukwu. Receiving the baton nearly 20 metres behind the United States, the Nigerian launched a determined charge down the home straight, rapidly closing the gap before edging the Americans at the line to claim the third automatic qualifying position.

Nigeria stopped the clock at 43.65 seconds, just 0.02 seconds ahead of the United States, who finished in 43.67 seconds.

The performances mean Nigeria will now contest both women’s relay finals, further strengthening the country’s medal prospects at the championships.

In Saturday’s evening phase of the event, Success Uyibo will compete in the 200m women’s final while the 4x100m compete in the women’s final.

Sports

Poor welfare forced me to dump Delta for Enugu, says world – Nwachukwu

Published

3 days ago

August 10, 2026

The Tide

World Record holder and Commonwealth Games champion, Goodness Nwachukwu, has revealed why she dumped Delta State for Enugu State.

The sudden departure of Nwachukwu, a multiple gold medallist, from Team Delta to the Coal City, Enugu , sparked controversy within the sports family, with officials of Delta State Sports Commission accusing the president of the Paralympic Committee of Nigeria, Sunday Odebode, of manipulating the system for the athlete to dump the state.

But Nwachukwu, who broke the World Record to win a gold medal for Team Nigeria in the Women’s Discus F42 event at the just-concluded Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, has cleared the air on the circumstances that led to her movement to Enugu State.

Speaking with The Tidesports source report, shortly after winning the gold medal, Nwachukwu said: “It is not true that anybody aided my movement from Delta State to Enugu. Rather, it was Delta State that forced me to leave because of poor remuneration.