Basketball in Africa

by Pius Ayinor
Lagos

Kano Pillars, who had lost to Plateau Peaks in the last three years, took one back at the Jos team on Sunday by beating them 75-62 in one of the matches played over the weekend in the Premier League of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF).
Last night Lagos Islanders on road trip through the Savannah Conference defeated Tapgun Rockets of Jos 64-57. The match was played in Jos.
"It was one game we worked hard to win but we were quite under a lot of pressure to win because of the lopsided record Peaks have over our team. Thank God we got this one for a start and from now we then continue to play to reverse the trend," Sani Ahmed, the coach of Pillars told THISDAYSports online from Kano after the match.
Pillars entered the Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano for the encounter trailing 0-4 in the last four meets both home and away and on neutral grounds during qualifiers into the league final play offs. This victory in Kano put a hold to the dominance of Peaks who are, however, still in good stead to pick a spot for the final play off. The dominance of Peaks over Pillars through the period saw them winning the Premier League at the national level two years ago. Kano Pillars on their part are also steadying their position for a slot from the Savannah Conference for the play off holding in August.
In Lagos the Sunday game could not hold at the National Stadium as Delta Force of Asaba, who were scheduled to play against Dodan Warriors, failed to turn up for the game. The Delta team claimed they were involved in a road accident on Saturday on their way to Lagos from the trip.
"For now we can't order a walkover until the accident claim is verified. If true then a new date has to be fixed otherwise it is a walkover plus sanction for the Delta team," a Federation official said.
Delta Force has turned out the weeping team of the league with just one win and have struggled to meet up with the requirements of the system due to cash crunch.