Sports

Pillars Target Retaining Basketball Title

Published

12 years ago

March 7, 2014

As the 2013/2014 DStv/
Men’s Premier Basketball League dunks-off on Friday, the question on the lips of fans is, can Kano Pillars retain the title for a second consecutive season?
Pillars had defeated Union Bank Club of Lagos 86-75 on the last day of the National Final Four Championship held in Lagos to emerge winners of last season.
Penultimate to the National Final Four, the club was indomitable in the Savannah Conference, winning all its matches in the 2012/2013 regular season.
As a result of their impressive run, fans branded them “The Invincible” and were rewarded hugely by the Kano State Government after winning the Final Four.
The National Final Four ended with Pillars defeating Dodan Warriors and Union Bank and losing one to Savannah Conference rivals Mark Mentors of Abuja.
Pillars Head Coach, Ahmed Sani told newsmen that their objective was to retain the title they won in September 2013 as he previewed the coming season.
“We are confident of ourselves and we are prepared for any challenge any opposition brings, we are going to take one game at a time.
“We don’t underrate any team but we know we have the best players the league can boast of though some players left us, nevertheless, we have re-enforced those areas.
“Our players are also properly motivated, they get their salaries and their bonuses regularly and what is more is that they are united,” Sani said.
A Union Bank veteran player, Obum Onyia, said that Pillars were a force to reckon with because of the team’s chemistry which they had built for the past four years.
“Pillars have a team that has been together for some time now, they are a very good side, and nevertheless we are prepared to tackle any team for the trophy.
“I believe in my team, especially in the younger players we recruited. They have the energy and bring more strength to the team to deliver the goods,” Onyia said.
Union Bank Coach, Johnson Ayinla whose team fell to Pillars on last season’s final day, said he was confident they would emerge champions of the 2013/2014 season.
According to Ayinla, the club’s management has empowered the team to ensure that they achieve their target for the season.
“We are prepared than ever before, we are not troubled about what other teams have because we know our strength and we know we are better equipped than last season.
“Our players are level headed; they are disciplined and ready to do what is expected of them. We are well organised and confident of ourselves,” he said.
In the same vein, Lagos Islanders Coach, Lateef Erinfolami, expressed optimism toward emerging champions of the coming season, adding that it was the club’s sole objective.
“We want to win the title, it’s our target, and we are not going into the season just to play but specifically set our aim on the league’s trophy.
“It’s going to be a great battle from the jump-ball date, we have assured our fans that we will not let them down,’’ Erinfolami said.
The Proprietor, Dodan Warriors of Lagos, Col. Sam Ahmedu (rtd), said the club’s position was not necessarily to win the league but to put up a first class performance.
“We are an institution that trains and nurtures young players to top class athletes.
“We have four players who are currently on scholarships in the US through their last season’s performances.
“Our players for the coming season are ready psychologically and prepared to compete favourably,” he said.
According to the fixtures provided by the Nigeria Basketball Federations (NBBF), Union Bank will play Kwara Falcons on March 7 at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Lagos.
This season’s format provided by NBBF will have first four clubs qualifying from each of the two conferences for the Final Eight to determine the 2013/2014 champions.
The regular season is expected to end in June after 15 weeks of matches may have been concluded in the two conferences.

Sports

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

Published

3 hours 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

4 hours 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

4 hours 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.