19 July 2006
NIGERIA : Vmobile League - Kano Pillars Set for Kaduna
By Pius Ayinor
Lagos
With less than 72 hours to the first jump ball in the Savannah Conference of the Vmobile Premier Basketball League play off, the Kano Pillars are set for the event and may arrive the venue by tomorrow. The team coach, Sani Ahmed announced the date when he spoke with THISADY yesterday.
"As concerning our arrival date, I believe the Team Manager has the detail information on that. He is fully in charge there. But from my understanding we should be in Kaduna on Thursday," Coach Sani said as his team began their evening workout at the Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano yesterday.
The Pillars led the Savannah Conference into the play offs of the Vmobile Challenge last year and have continued on that note this time through the regular season but may face quite some tough time in the play first stage as some of their players are in camp in Lagos for the African Junior Men's Championship. The championship, which has Nigeria as defending champions, would hold in South Africa at the end of the month.
"We didn't have a choice as the players are on national assignment or otherwise we need them.
"We have prepared this far without them and we continue on that note and prepare well to fill up any gap that their absence would have created as it were. Whichever way we'll cope without them. The focus is to play and qualify and that is what we are working on irrespective of the situation."
The Kano Pillars had three players in camp but the third player was called on Monday alongside some other players who began the camping last week in Lagos.
At the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kaduna Pillars would battle for the tickets against Niger Potters, Plateau Peaks and Bauchi Nets. Only two teams will qualify for the final stage in Lagos fixed for the end of the month. The Atlantic Conference play off was concluded last Sunday in Lagos with Ebun Comets and Dodan Warriors scaling through.
But even as the teams warm up for the final stage in Lagos, there are strong indications that the Final-4 play off billed for Lagos from the 28th of the month may not start on the advertised date but be moved forward by one week. The shift may have become necessary following the pressure mounted by the clubs on Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) for the use of their players for the final stage in Lagos. Some of the teams expected to play the final-4 of the combined conferences have their players in the Junior national team who would be playing the African championship in South African by that period."Most likely the Final-4 in Lagos may move by just one week."
"The situation we are in suggests we move the competition a little forward for better outing at all levels," Richard Agu, the Atlantic Conference league co-ordinator said in Lagos.
Comets and Lagos Islanders held on to their players during the Atlantic Conference play off even though the Dodan Warriors players were in the national camp. The players only joined after the last games on Sunday.
Lagos
With less than 72 hours to the first jump ball in the Savannah Conference of the Vmobile Premier Basketball League play off, the Kano Pillars are set for the event and may arrive the venue by tomorrow. The team coach, Sani Ahmed announced the date when he spoke with THISADY yesterday.
"As concerning our arrival date, I believe the Team Manager has the detail information on that. He is fully in charge there. But from my understanding we should be in Kaduna on Thursday," Coach Sani said as his team began their evening workout at the Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano yesterday.
The Pillars led the Savannah Conference into the play offs of the Vmobile Challenge last year and have continued on that note this time through the regular season but may face quite some tough time in the play first stage as some of their players are in camp in Lagos for the African Junior Men's Championship. The championship, which has Nigeria as defending champions, would hold in South Africa at the end of the month.
"We didn't have a choice as the players are on national assignment or otherwise we need them.
"We have prepared this far without them and we continue on that note and prepare well to fill up any gap that their absence would have created as it were. Whichever way we'll cope without them. The focus is to play and qualify and that is what we are working on irrespective of the situation."
The Kano Pillars had three players in camp but the third player was called on Monday alongside some other players who began the camping last week in Lagos.
At the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kaduna Pillars would battle for the tickets against Niger Potters, Plateau Peaks and Bauchi Nets. Only two teams will qualify for the final stage in Lagos fixed for the end of the month. The Atlantic Conference play off was concluded last Sunday in Lagos with Ebun Comets and Dodan Warriors scaling through.
But even as the teams warm up for the final stage in Lagos, there are strong indications that the Final-4 play off billed for Lagos from the 28th of the month may not start on the advertised date but be moved forward by one week. The shift may have become necessary following the pressure mounted by the clubs on Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) for the use of their players for the final stage in Lagos. Some of the teams expected to play the final-4 of the combined conferences have their players in the Junior national team who would be playing the African championship in South African by that period."Most likely the Final-4 in Lagos may move by just one week."
"The situation we are in suggests we move the competition a little forward for better outing at all levels," Richard Agu, the Atlantic Conference league co-ordinator said in Lagos.
Comets and Lagos Islanders held on to their players during the Atlantic Conference play off even though the Dodan Warriors players were in the national camp. The players only joined after the last games on Sunday.
# posted by afrbk : 17:14
