Sports
Coach Describes Clinic As Avenue To Discover Talent
A basketball coach in Rivers State, Larma Johnson has described the ongoing second edition of the DA-F Youth Basketball Festival in Port Harcourt as an avenue for youths who want to take the game as a career in life.
According to him, the clinic has discovered and improved lot of players, not only in Rivers state but the country in general, adding that he saw lots of improvement from those who participated in the clinic last year.
Johnson, who is a retired Army Officer made the assertion on Wednesday in an exclusive interview with Tidesports at the basketball court in Port Harcourt.
He thanked the organizer of the program Coach Fubara Onyenabo for staging the clinic, adding that the program is there to give more knowledge to those who are ready to learn about the game.
“I came to Rivers State since 1987 because of basketball.
“This clinic is an avenue for those who want to take game of basketball to the next level.
“I see a lot of Improvement from those who participated in the program last year.
“There are lots of development in this year’s edition of the clinic.
“The people I saw last year, seeing them now, they have improved on their skills” Johnson said.
He noted that those that were not able to dribble with the ball last year were now dribbling with the ball.
He used the medium to call on basketball scouts to come to Port Harcourt where they will see lots of talent.
The DA-F Youth Basketball Festival which is tagged the future of Nigeria basketball is featuring Under 10 mixed for boys and girls, Under 13 to 16, 18-19 men.
By: Kiadum Edookor
The championship will run from today to October 12 at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia. On the ground for the championship are athletes from Brazil, Peru, Egypt, Cameroon, Tunisia, Nigeria, Mauritius and Rwanda. They arrived on Sunday.
Some of the other countries were expected in the Abia State capital yesterday. Speaking on the championship, yesterday, Abia State Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Nwobilor Ananaba, said the chief host, Governor Alex Otti, has mobilised facilities and the personnel to ensure a successful event.
Speaking through the Special Assistant to the Governor on Sports, Raymond Chima Ukwa, said: “We have the best mats, playing mats, especially the wheelchair playing mats, which is the first of its kind in West Africa.
“If you go around, you’ll see the hall and the preparation that has been made to ensure that people have an equitable world-class playing field.” Thrilled by Governor Otti’s support for the competition, Badminton Federation of Nigeria (BFN) President, Francis Orbih, said that, besides making all the necessary arrangements that will ensure a successful hosting of the events, “we will have a Para-Badminton workshop for coaches and players.
“Nigeria is doing well, Abia is doing well, and we want to do better to improve on where we are, which is why all these have been put together by Governor Otti.”
Nigeria’s Flying Eagles began their campaign at the 24th FIFA U20 World Cup with a narrow 1–0 loss to Norway on Monday, despite creating several opportunities to level the game.
Norway took the lead in the 9th minute after being awarded a controversial penalty. The Flying Eagles pressed for an equaliser but were denied two penalty claims in the second half.
Kparobo Arierhi came close in the 47th minute when his shot drifted wide with the goalkeeper beaten, while Tahir Maigana struck the upright in the 63rd minute.
Nasiru Salihu’s rising effort in the 71st minute also went narrowly over the bar, drawing gasps from the crowd.
Seven minutes from time, Maigana again tested Norway with a long-range strike that went just wide as Nigeria continued to pile on the pressure.
Despite their dominance, the Flying Eagles could not find the breakthrough and now turn their attention to Thursday’s clash against Saudi Arabia in their second group match.
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