Basketball in Africa

By Pius Ayinor
Lagos

The Ivy Basketball League for private secondary schools in Lagos rounded off by the weekend with the organizers already looking forward to amore rewarding 2007 season. The Chief Executive Officer of AKOFA Sports Mr. John Bimbo Faniran told THISDAY that there already things on ground to explain why the next season looks more exciting.
"The response from our sponsors has been quite encouraging. New companies are joining the corporate sponsors on ground but with scholarship scheme coming into the league, we can hardly get better offer for a championship devoted to students and schools in general," Faniran said.In the championship proper played at the Avi-Cenna International School, Ikeja, Ronik Comprehensive College, Ejigbo won the boys trophy after beating their Whitesand opponents 35-32. The game which was the last of the day was quite entertaining as the game was played all through at a clutch.

In the girls match Vivian Fowler, like Ronik became a first time champions. They cut Atlantic Hall 19-10 in the first final match of the day.In the losers' game, International School Lagos (Unilag) stopped the double medal haul for Ronik Schools as they defeated the Ronik girls 25-21 to pick up the bronze medal. The boys' event recorded a walkover as the Corona boys were not in Ikeja for their match against Dowen College.
Benita Mordi of Vivian Fowler was voted the Most Valuable Player (MVP) for the female category while Adebowale Osipitan got the male category after inspiring Ronik over taller Whitesand boys.
Afrab Chem and Mouka Foam are two of the major sponsors of the championship that played in its 8th season.