22 June 2007
NIGERIA : Stallion Boys, Warriors Set Lagos Agog
The stage is set for the grand finale of the 3rd Lagos City league as organizers, Lagos State Basketball Association introduced best-of-three-games, version as obtains in the America National Basketball Association (NBA).
The series begins today with the two finalists, Union Bank (Stallion Boys) basketball club taking on Dodan Warriors basketball club in first game at the Indoor Sports Hall of the Lagos National Stadium.
The clubs booked a grand finale ticket last weekend at the expense of Ebun Comets basketball club and defending champion, Kennys' Bullets basketball club who will now settle for the third place match slated for Saturday, same day as Game-2 game of the series between the Stallion Boys, as the Union Bank is known and the Warriors.
In his assessment of this year's edition of City League, Chairman, Lagos State Basketball Association, Babs Ogunade in chat with Sports Champion maintained that the standard surpassed its previous editions.
"We are pleased to give to players' opportunity to express their potential even when activity at the national level had gone to bed," he said.
'Teams have stepped up their performance and the lesser clubs have benefited from facing the challenges of playing top teams.".
"I must commend the clubs owners for participating even without major sponsors. It goes to undermine the fact that we are working towards the growth of the game in the country," he added.
On the prospect of sponsors, Ogunade hinted that various sponsors have indicated interest to be part of the show, adding that talks have reached advanced stage to have title sponsor for the league.
Meanwhile, it was learnt that the organizer are yet to receive the sum of 1million Naira pledged by the Lagos State government for the organisation of the league.
"We are yet to get the money, but an approval has been given. What I can say is that we are getting the money soon," Ogunade disclosed.
