Basketball in Africa

KADUNA (DStv PBL) - As the regular season of the Nigeria DStv Premier Basketball League heats up, teams are jostling for points to brighten their qualification for the final-eight playoffs, slated for June this year, while others battle against relegation.

Defending champions Kano Pillars basketball club wre in superb form becoming the first team to record centenary points with their 100-40 points victory over relegation threatened Tapgun Rockets basketball club of Jos in a Week-8 game.

The champion led their opponents from the blast of the referees’ whistles, not giving any room to the Rockets who appear unimpressive throughout the game with Pillars combo-guard and Nigeria international Ibrahim Yusuf.

And it was Yusuf who scored the 100th point in the dying seconds of the game to give the side tutored by Coach Sani Ahmed its seven straight leage win.

Niger Potters were leading Nigeria Immigration 63-52 points when the game, held in Minna had to be abandoned, while Plateau Peaks basketball club of Jos had a narrow 68-67 points victory over Bauchi Nets basketball club in Abuja and Kada Stars went past Yelwa Hawks basketball club of Bauchi by 84-66 points.

Sani Turi's Kada Stars won the first three quarters by 20-12, 15-14 and 28-19 while the last one ended 21 points apiece.

In the Atlantic conference, Delta Force basketball club of Asaba gave away four points to conference leader, as they failed to honour their week-8 road games to Comets basketball club and Islanders basketball club.

Chariots basketball club's dwindling fortune continued with a 58-77 points defeat to Dodan Warriors on Saturday at the sports hall of the national stadium in Lagos, while the game between Union Bank basketball club of Lagos and visiting Royal Hoopers basketball club of Port Harcourt played on Sunday lived up to its billing of ‘STAR-GAME’ of the week stressing into over-time before Union Bank finally won by 84-81 points.

Week-8 results

Atlantic Conference
Chariots 58 - 77 Dodan Warriors
Comets 20 - 00 Delta Force (Walk Over)
Islanders 20 – 00 Delta Force3 (walk Over)
Union Bank 84 – 81 Royal Hoopers (O/T)

Savannah Conference
Plateau Peaks 68 – 67 Bauchi Nets
Kano Pillars 100 – 40 Tapgun Rockets
Niger Potters 63 – 52 Immigration
Kada Stars 84 – 66 Yelwa Hawks

Ikuesan Olusegun
FIBA