Royal Hoopers’ Camp Classic Records Impressive Turnout

The 2009 edition of the Royal Hoopers Basketball, Camp and Classic, which kicked off in Port Harcourt on Wednesday at the Sports Complex of the Nigerian Police Force Old G.R.A. was a rendezvous for sports personalities and athletes in the state.
The basketball classic which is the third edition was colourful in content and character as the basketball courts were given face lift to add colour and aesthetic to the exercise.
NBA legends and coaches from the United States of America were part of the ceremony.
The Rivers State Commissioner for Police, Mr. Bala Hassan who declared the event open described the Royal Hoopers Basketball classic as a welcome development towards the promotion of sports in the state, adding that the event will impact the participants and Rivers society positively as the youths can now engage their minds in sporting ventures rather than embarking on criminal activities as a result of idleness.
The Rivers State Sports Commissioner, Hon. Boma Iyaye, who was among the dignitaries that graced the occasion, while making his speech commended the President and organisers of the Royal Hoopers classic for a wonderful job the outfit has been doing in the state and beyond.
The commissioner said that the state government would partner with the Royal Hoopers outfit towards ensuring that the organisation enjoys adequate support from the government, and that the state was considering a proposal to take over the promotion sponsorship and management of the Royal Hoopers Basketball team.
In the same vein, the President of Royal Hoopers Academy, Mr. Syndoph Endoni who also doubles as one of the sponsors of the event left no stone unturned in embracing the idea of the Rivers State government proposed take over plan of the Basketball Academy.
In his words: “It is a collaboration thing, and it is going to be capital intensive, so the state government is taking over to properly manage it. Royal Hoopers is now in the Nigerian Premier Basketball League and to be in the premiership is not a one man show, so they have to come in and provide special opportunities for the boys.’
The highlights of the events were the scientilating display put up by the Hoopers cheer leaders group and some celebrated Nigerian musical artistes in the likes of Chizmoney, Double K, Korkormikor, among others.
The camping exercise began from Wednesday, while the classic competition, which will see elite basketball clubs in Nigeria take on one another and two others from Cote d’Ivoire and Benin Republic, commences on Sunday.