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B’ball League: Islanders Continue Winning Streak, Top Table

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Lagos Islanders Basket
ball Club has so far continued its winning streak in the ongoing 2014/2015 Dstv Men’s Basketball League
The team walloped Oluyole Warriors of Ibadan, 86-62 in the week seven encounter of the Atlantic Conference.
The match played at the weekend at the famous Adamasingba Stadium, in Ibadan saw the star studded Islanders showing class in every department of the game.
Islanders’ victory put an end to the Oluyole Warriors clean slate at home since the 2013/2014 season.
The victory also kept Islanders on top of the Atlantic Conference table having recorded six straight victories, losing only to Kwara Falcons in week one of the league.
Coach Lateef Erinfolami of Islanders told newsmen on Monday in Lagos that the team was beginning to attain its potential.
‘’We are looking good after every match, and most importantly, the team is turning out the good results. However, going by the calibre of players in the squad, this shouldn’t be a surprise.
‘’We have the quality that can deliver, but we must continue to work hard on building a stronger team chemistry.
“Certainly, there will be tougher matches as the season progresses,” Erinfolami said.
In another match played in Lagos, Union Bank of Lagos beat Police Batons, 68-52.
The police batons continue at the bottom of the Atlantic Conference league.
The Batons have only won one match in the season so far, losing six and this has kept the police team in relegation zone.
Eight teams in the conference will scale through after the final season match which is just seven games away.
Coach Mark Balogun of the Batons team said that he was very optimistic of his team swimming out of relegation waters.
He said that poor officiating contributed to his team’s losses.
‘’We were robbed on many occasions by bad officiating on the part of the match referees and this is affecting most of our results.
“However, we are positive of escaping relegation at the end,” Balogun said.
With seven rounds of matches remaining in the league, Islanders top the Atlantic Conference table with 13 points, having won six games and lost one.
Dodan Warriors of Lagos is second with 12 points, winning five matches and losing two.
Customs of Lagos, Oluyole Warriors and Union Bank are placed third, fourth and fifth respectively.
The teams are on 11 points; they all recorded four wins and lost three matches each.
The sixth place team is Kwara Falcons of Ilorin, which has three wins from seven matches, earning 10 points.
Delta Force of Asaba and the Police Batons are at the bottom of the table, having lost six games from seven matches, with eight points each to their credit.
Both teams are on seventh and eighth positions on the league table.
Coach Benson Aikoroje of the Delta Force team said that his team would survive the relegation.
He said that though it would take a lot of hard work, they were capable of achieving the feat.
‘’We are new in the league and playing against teams that have been there for several years is very challenging.
‘’However, we are learning very fast from our mistakes and we hope to get it right soon,’’ Aikoroje said
The round of eight matches will commence  in a fortnight due to scheduled All Stars Game of the DStv League which comes up May 23.

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CAFCL: Finidi Laud Players Over Impressive Performance 

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Rivers United FC of Port Harcourt head coach, Finidi George, has lauded his players (boys) after they defeated Les Aigles du Congo 1-0 in the second leg of preliminary round of the CAF Champions League (CAFCL).
He admitted that the game was a perfect display of football artistry from both sides but believe that his players  will  grow stronger against Black Bulls in the second preliminary round in Mozambique.
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Finidi said this on Sunday shortly after his side saw off Les Aigles du Congo 1-0 at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
 This feat qualified the pride of Rivers State for the second round of the preliminary stage by 1-0 goal aggregate, as their opponents forced them to goalless draw in Congo.
“It was not far from a perfect display, my players to get the job done by getting the only goal of the game. We know it has not been easy, but we’ll build on this win.
“The most important thing is that we have scaled through this round and  now we will focus on our next opponent” Finidi said.
He noted that the players were nervous in the first half and missed key opportunities to seal the tie early.
” We had chances, but there were lapses and mistakes, during first half break we advised them to  calm down, in the second half, we also created more opportunities but could not convert the chances as they come ” he said.
Finidi also explained the inexperience of his squad, with several players making their continental debut.
“Most of my players have not played at this level before, so the nervousness was expected. In every game, they’ll gain confidence. I’m not worried, they will get better,” he stated.
The former Super Eagles Coach assured fans that Rivers United are ready for the Mozambican champions and make a statement.
“We’ll prepare well for the Black Bull. It’s going to be tough but this win gives us something to build on” he added.
Rivers United will travel to Maputo for the first leg of the second preliminary on October 17, 2025 before returning to Uyo for the return leg where the winner over the two legs will make it into the group stage of the CAFCL.
By: Kiadum Edookor
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Umuahia Hosts Africa Para- Badminton Championship 

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A badminton fever has gripped Umuahia with the arrival of over 150 athletes and 60 officials from 14 countries for the maiden Abia International Para-Badminton and All-African Badminton Championship.

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.”

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FIFA U20: Flying Eagles Narrowly Loss to Norway 

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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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