Sports

Basketball Team Blames Loss On Poor Preparation

Published

11 years ago

January 5, 2015

Coach Peter Ahmedu of
Mark Mentors basketball club of Abuja has blamed the club’s poor performance at the 2014 Africa Champions Cup for Men on bad preparations.
Ahmedu told newsmen in Abuja that the team had minimal preparations for the championship compared to other clubs who had better preparations.
Mark Mentors debuted in the championship held in Tunis, Tunisia from December 11 to 21 as Nigeria’s lone representatives.
The club won only two of their five preliminary group matches to place ninth among 12 clubs which participated in the championship, which was in its 29th edition.
“We came second in our local league to play in the championship and we felt that is how the level of the championship will be.
“But it was not so. The standard of the championship was high and we could not cope with the weather and the skills.
“This is because we didn’t have the best of preparations. We had local preparations, and we never went into a closed camp and we did not change environment to acclimatise.
“Besides, the level of commitment and motivation we needed from the club management was not there.
“But, in all, it was not a bad experience because we got exposed to what we have never seen before,’’ Ahmedu said.
He said the preparations the Nigerian club had was inferior to what other clubs had, and they could not do more than they did.
“When we got there, we realised that the championship is different from what we thought it would be.
“The standard was high and all the clubs which qualified were well prepared from what we saw.
“You could see in them that they went on training tours to acclimatise, because the weather was not a problem to them.
“Besides, they know the standard of the championship since they are not new to it. So, most of them have two or more foreign-based players in their team.
“They were well prepared and it showed in the way they played,’’ Ahmedu said.
Mark Mentors qualified to play in the continental championship after coming second in the FIBA Africa Zone 3 qualifiers, the sub-continental competition.
They had finished as runners-up in the 2013/2014 DSTV Men’s Premier Basketball League to qualify as one on Nigeria’s two representatives.

Sports

RSG Pledges To Develop Baseball

Published

2 days ago

September 19, 2025

The Tide

Rivers State Government has pledged to provide training pitch for Baseball in the State.

The Director of Sports in Rivers State Sports Council, Obia Inyengiyikabo made pledge on Tuesday in an interview with sports journalists shortly after the five days Intensive Capacity Development Course For Baseball Coaches.

Inyengiyikabo said the State Government has given priority to sport development.

” Yes we are happy for the five days Intensive Capacity development programme for baseball coaches in Nigeria.Sure by the grace of God the Governor of the State Sir Siminialayi Fubara will provide Baseball pitch.

” This programme, I am sure will be an eye opener for our youth to fall in love with the game. I appreciate the Global Sports Partners for finding Rivers State worthy host the programme”, Inyengiyikabo stated.

Meanwhile the Director of Global Sports Partner’s Coach Justin Rhondes from United States of America ( USA) expressed joy for the turnout.

He stated that seeing the coaches and players impressive turnout was indication the game was popular in Nigeria.

” We Global Sports Partners, our key word is partner, so for us we are ready to come back to Nigeria any time.

“The few days we have stayed Coaches and players has benefited a lot from the programme”, he said.

Kiadum Edookor

Sports

CAFCL : Rivers United Arrives DR Congo

Published

2 days ago

September 19, 2025

The Tide

Rivers United FC of Port Harcourt contingent, comprising players, technical crew, backroom staff, and officials, depart the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos State on Wednesday, bound for Kinshasa, DR Congo.

The team is set to face FC Les Aigles du Congo in the first-round first-leg match of the CAF Champions League.

This was contained in a press release signed by the media officer of the club, Charles Mayuku and made available to Tidesports on Wednesday.

He said that the highly anticipated match is scheduled to take place at the 80,000-capacity Kinshasa-Complexe Omnisports Stade des Martyrs on morrow with kickoff slated for 3:30pm.

According to the statement the encounter marks the first-ever meeting between both sides in any competition, adding that an air of excitement and unpredictability to the fixture.

“As the Pride of Nigeria embarks on this crucial journey, the team is determined to return with a decent result that will set them up favorably for the second leg on Sunday, 28th September” the statement said.

Sports

FIFA rankings: S’Eagles drop Position, remain sixth in Africa

Published

2 days ago

September 19, 2025

The Tide

Nigeria’s Super Eagles have slipped one place in the latest FIFA World Rankings, falling from 44th to 45th globally while maintaining sixth position on the African continent.

The new rankings, released via FIFA’s official X handle on Thursday, reflect the team’s continued struggles under Coach Eric Chelle amid a stuttering 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign.

This marks a second consecutive decline after the Nigerian side dropped from 43rd to 44th in August on the back of poor outings in recent international matches.

Despite Nigeria’s setback, several African teams made progress. Morocco remains the continent’s highest-ranked side, sitting 11th in the world after winning eight of their last nine matches. Senegal, Egypt, Algeria and Côte d’Ivoire complete Africa’s top five.

Lesotho slipped to 153rd place, while Benin Republic, Nigeria’s upcoming opponent, climbed to 93rd. South Africa’s Bafana Bafana, who held the Super Eagles to a 1-1 draw in June, rose to 55th, strengthening their bid for World Cup qualification.

Zimbabwe had the biggest slide down the ranking table, dropping nine places to 125th position in the world.

The rankings highlight Nigeria’s struggle to regain form on the global stage as key rivals continue to surge ahead.

Similarly, the Super Falcons of Nigeria remain 36th best in the world], while the Spanish female national team replaced the USA at the top of the women’s ranking.