Basketball in Africa

Royal Hoopers and Union Bank Basketball Clubs - Nigeria's representatives to the men's Africa Champions Cup - have expressed optimism of a good outing when the competition dunks off on Sunday in Morocco.

The two clubs were given automatic qualification for the Africa Championship, having met the FIBA Africa requirement.The championship is scheduled to hold in Rabat, Morocco from Dec. 11 to Dec. 21.
Royal Hoopers of Port Harcourt and Union Bank of Lagos were champions and runners-up respectively in the 2010/11 DSTV/NBBF League.
In an interview with NAN on Tuesday in Lagos, Ogoh Odaudu, the Hoopers coach, said that the club was determined to do well at the championship, unlike in the 2010 edition when they performed poorly.
"The 2010 edition of the championship was our first appearance and we were like observers; but not this time around," Odaudu said.
He said that the club was participating in the championship this year to make an impact and acquire more experience.
"We would make sure we correct all our last year's mistakes in order to make a lasting impression this year" Odaudu said.
He said the players resumed training in Lagos last Wednesday and would leave for Morocco on Saturday.
The Union Bank handler, Johnson Ayinla, expressed similar sentiments, saying that they hope to improve on the fourth position they reached last year.
He said that they had fine-tuned their strategy with the help of the friendly games.