Premier League Men’s Basketball Goes On Break

The Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) bowed to

pressure from club owners for a three-week break to allow their players in the

national team take part in the Nations Cup qualifiers.

Nigeria will take part in the Zone III Africa Nations Cup qualifiers holding from Aug. 7 to Aug. 17 in Lome, Togo.

In a telephone interview with Tidesports sources, NBBF secretary Francis Gbiri, said the federation decided to suspend the league until the end of the qualifiers as some of the club players were in the national team.

He said club officials made representation to the league organisers that their players were invited to camp for the qualifiers.

Gbiri said the players’ absence would deplete the strength of the respective clubs if the league continued during the qualifiers.

He disclosed that the league, sponsored by cable television network, DSTV, would resume on Aug. 19.

He said the 18 players invited to camp would assemble in Kaduna on July 28.

Twelve players will be selected for the trip to the Togolese capital on Aug. 6.

The players invited to camp are Usman Abubakar, Ibrahim Yusuf, Kelvin Nanbam, Yomi Joshua, Ogbum Darlington and Muhammed Bukar.

Others are Onyeka Okpete, Azuoma Dike, Musa Usman, Adeolu Olaiya, Isiaka Yusuf and Anthony Victor

The rest are Matthew Onmonya, Malik Tella, Manasseh Achi, Richio Dickson, Edem Louis and Stanley Gumut.