Los Angeles Clippers sign Ike Diogu

The Los Angeles Clippers have signed forward Ike Diogu (6'8''-F/C-83, college: Arizona St.) to bolster their injury-depleted frontcourt.

The Clippers signed the former first-round draft pick on Wednesday, hours before their home game against Houston.

Chris Kaman, Craig Smith and Brian Cook all are out of the Clippers' lineup with injuries.

Diogu has been out of the NBA since Detroit cut him during training camp. After playing in 29 games during the 2008-09 season with Sacramento and Portland, the five-year NBA veteran missed all of last season following left knee surgery.

Kaman is out for a month with an injured left ankle, and the Clippers learned Tuesday that Smith will be out for at least two weeks after getting an epidural for a herniated disc in his lower back.

Courtesy of www.azcentral.com

Champions Club Zone-3: Pillars, Hoopers book final round ticket

t was double honour for Nigerian sides, Kano Pillars and Rpyal Hoopers basketball clubs at the Zone-3 qualifying round of Africa biggest club competition, FIBA Aafrica Champions Club for Men in Monrovia, Liberia as they both snatched the two tickets at stake for clubs in the Zone-3.

Kano Pillars who successfully defended the FIBA Africa Zone-3 title it won last year in Benin Republic defeated Cote dIvoire league champion, Abidjan Basket Club (ABC) by 65-42 points in the last day of the qualifiers on Sunday at the gymnasium of the SKD Sports Complex to maintain its hundred percent record becoming the only team that did not drop a point in the week-long qualifiers.

Shaking off its 87-70 points lose to Pillars on Match Day-4, Royal Hoopers basketball club humbled Togo league champion, Swallows basketball club by 74-29 points in a game that kept the fans cheering all the way.

Hoopers who finished second behind Pillars with four wins and one lose began the final day game against Swallows with a 23-13 points win in the first quarter, as if looking to set record in its first continental outing the Hoopers side coached by the trio of Coaches Ogoh Odaudu, Johnson Orupabo and Lami Johnson stopped Swallows from registering a double digit in the last three quarters winning by 21-04, 20-03 and 10-09 points for a final score-line of 74-29 points.

NPA Pythons basketball club avenged its Liberia domestic league title lose to UHURU Kings basketball club in a local derby.

After losing the first quarter by 11-18 points the Pythons dominated the game from the second quarter all through the buzzer winning the second, third and last quarters by 10-08, 21-10 and 10-09 points to win the game by 52-45 points.

All the results.

Day-1:
UHURU Kings 55-66 Royal Hoopers
NPA Pythons 53-85 Kano Pillars
ABC 60-41 Swallows

Day-2:
NPA Pythons 61-73 Royal Hoopers
Kano Pillars 64-50 Swallows
UHURU Kings 49-59 ABC

Day-3:
Royal Hoopers 60-44 ABC
Swallows 60-58 NPA Pythons
Kano Pillars 67-42 UHURU Kings

Day-4:
Royal Hoopers 70-87 Kano Pillars
NPA Pythons 45-53 ABC
Swallows 44-56 UHURU Kings

Day-5:
ABC 42-65 Kano Pillars
Swallows 29-74 Royal Hoopers
UHURU Kings 45-52 NPA Pythons

NBBF CONGRATULATE MASAI UJIRI

The Nigeria Basketball Federation, NBBF has sent a congratulatory message to former Nigeria International, Masai Ujiri over his recent appointmen as General Manager of Denver Nuggets Basketball club National Basketball Association (NBA) side.

NBBF President, Tijjani Umar who convey the goodwill message to the former Assistant General Manger of Toronto Raptors recently sign with the Nuggets as its new G.M.

The Nigeria basketball boss says Ujiri elevation is a clear testimony of his good work and a boost for Nigeria basketball.

The federation urge Ujiri to remain steadfast with his good deed in helping to reshape the game in Nigeria in particular and the world in general.

On behalf of the Nigeria Basketball federation and the Nigeria basketball community both at home and in the disaspora, I want to salute and congratulate Masai Ujiri on his new appointment as the General Manager of NBA side, The Denver Nuggets.

Masai has demonstarted that hard work pays and little wonder he is reaping the fruit of his labour, Masai has played significant role in helping to reshape Nigeria basketball, he has played such role as player, coach and adviser.

We are greatly delighted that a Nigerian is holding such key position with an NBA side and we beleive his elevation will open the door for others like him and for Nigeria basketball as we match towards making Nigeria basketball the best in Africa and one of the best in the world.

The NBBF president is leading a delegation to Turkey to attend the FIBA World Congress, the delegation whcih includes the First Vice-President of the federation, Muktar Adamu Khaleh and the federation Secretary General, Francis will have a meeting with the new Denver General Manager, Ujiri who will also be in turkey to watch the FIBA World Championship.

Among Ujiri contribution to the development of basketball in Nigeria is the annual camps he co-organised alongside Godwin Onwinje includes the Giants of Africa Camp and the Top-50 camp.

Ujiri was a member of the Nigeria senior national team, DTigers that qualifies Nigeria for her first FIBA World Championship in Greece in 1998, he also serve as Assistant Coach of the U18 and U19 Junior national team in 2006 FIBA Africa Championship for U18 Men in South Africa and the FIBA World Championship for U19 Men in Serbia and Assistant to Coach John Lucas to the 2009 FIBA Africa Championship for Men in Libya.

DStv PL: Police brighten playoffs chances, beat Islanders 59-42

The Nigeria Police basketball team, The Police Baton basketball club at the weekend brighten its chances of making it to the final-8 playoffs slated for the Civic Centre, Port Harcourt, Rivers State with a 59-42 points victory over former champion of the Nigeria league, Lagos Islanders basketball club at the sports hall of the national stadium, Lagos.

The Coach Mark Balogun tutored Baton humbled Islanders in all departments of the game winning in all four-quarter by 13-08, 15-12, 18-10 and 13-12 with Baton combo-guard Kelvin Dandison leading the floor with 18 points and 3 rebounds.

Dandison teammates, Dapo Peters and Malik Tella added 10 points, 5 rebounds and 10 rebounds respectively to put paid to the ambition of the Islanders.

The victory shot Baton to the third position of the Atlantic conference standing with a game against second placed Union Bank basketball club on Friday in Lagos.

Other regular season games in both conferences of the DStv Premier League, in the Atlantic conference Ebun Comets basketball club and Dodan Warriors basketball club will lock horns on Wednesday in Lagos while run-away conference leader, Royal Hoopers bnasketball club will be at home to Delta Force basketball club at the Civic Centre in Port Harcourt, Rivers State while Dodan Warriors basketball club and Lagos Islanders basketball will round-off the conference regular season game on Saturday in Lagos.

in the Savannah conference two teams (Plateau Peaks and Niger Potters) whose final-8 playoffs qualifications depended on the last regular season pairings of the conference, Plateau Peaks will be at home in Kaduna to defending champion, Kano Pillars in a tough duel as the defending champion who are already through to the playoffs will be playing for pride while Niger Potters basketball club of Minna will welcome relegated AHIP Giants basketball club of Kano.

Though the odd to pick the Savannah conference fourth slot favours Potters who will be playing against relegated AHIP in Minna but must have to win convincingly if they want to be part of the Garden City playoffs party.



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FIBA Africa Zone-III Elimination: Nigeria succumb to Togo 58-59

second game of Day-2 of the qualifiers Nigeria were unlucky against a determined Togolaise side going down by 58-59 points with the Togolaise who are determine to book a place in the 2011 FIBA Africa Championship for Men dictating the pace for the better part of the highly explosive game which kept the fans on the edge of their seats througout the duration of the game.

Togo won the first quarter by 15-11 points with Nigeria rallying back in the second quarter with a 14-13 points win to go into the break with a three points deficits of 28-25 points in favour of Togo.

Not wanting to give up easily Nigeria took another shot at beating the Togolaise to their game with a 16-13 points win in the third quarter to even scores at 41 points apiece going into the last quarter with rising to the ocassion to pick the last quarter by 18-17 points to run away with a hard earned victory of 59-58 points which set the fans in wide jubilation as the win over Nigeria thus restore their hope of a place at the 2011 Afrobasket slated for Abidjan, Cote dIvoire.

Togo Abdouf-Fatarh Damatare led his teammates with 16 points, Jimmy Williams grabbed 11 rebounds and scored 9 points, Komi Kouigan contributed 10 points and 5 rebounds while Mauetar Diaby grabbed 13 rebounds to seal victory for their side with Nigeria Abubakar Usman scoring 17 points and 6 rebounds.

Day-2 Results:
Cote dIvoire 81-57 Benin
Nigeria 58-59 Togo

Day-3 Games:
Cote dIvoire Vs Nigeria 17H00

FIBA Africa Zone-III Qualifiers: Cote dIvoire bow to Nigeria 52-72

Nigeria Thursday dethrone Cote dIvoire as the leader of the FIBA Africa Zone-III elimination in Day-3 of the series with a 72-52 points win.
Nigeria who lost narrowly to Togo on Wednesday came out against Cote dIvoire who had enjoyed an unbeaten run in the qualifying series more determined and this paid off as the Nigerian side picked the first two quarters with 19-13 and 16-13 points for a half-time score-line of 36-26 points.

Cote dIvoire came out smoking in the third quarter but the effort could only yield a 20-19 points win going into the final quarter with a 9 points deficit with the Nigerian pilling up pressure on the Cote dIvoire side winning the last quarter by 17-06 points for a final score of 72-52 points which shot them to the top of the four-nation elimination series.
Nigeria Abubakar Usman led the floor with 19 points, Azuoma Dike added 14 points, Mattew Omonye contributed 10 points and 5 rebounds while Onyeka Ekpete grabbed 7 rebounds to secure victory for Nigeria who now share the same record with Cote dIvoire of 2-1.

FIBA Africa Zone-3 Qualifier: Nigeria defeat Benin 76-47

Nigeria senior national team, DTigers Saturday continue its superb form with a 76-47 defeat of Benin Republic in the reverse fixtures of the FIBA Africa Zone-3 qualifier going on in Lome, Togo.

Nigeria began the quest for the big win over Benin with a 22-09 points win in the first quarter, the Stanley Gumut captain side went on to win the second and third quarter by 15-06 and 28-16 points to move into the last quarter with a 34 points advantage of 65-31 points leaving the Benin side to pick the last quarter by 16-11 points for a final score-line of 76-47 points.

Matthew Omonye led the floor with a double double effort of 19 points and 10 rebounds, Abubakar Usman added 11 while Mohammed Bukar contributed 10 points with Onyeka Ekpete grabbing 13 rebounds for Nigeria victory.

With the victory over Benin , Nigeria remain on top of the four nation elimination series and confirm its place at the 2011 FIBA Africa Championship for Men (Cup of Nations) t be hosted by Cote dIvoire.

The Coach Sani Ahmed tutored Nigerian side will engage Togo on Sunday at 7.00pm local time 8.00 PM Nigeria time and play her last qualifying game against Cote dIvoire on Monday

FIBA Africa Zone-3 Qualifiers: Give your best NBBF President urges DTigers players

President of the Nigeria Basketball Federation, NBBF Tijjani umar Friday urge Nigeria senior national players, (DTigers) in Lome, Togo to give their best ahead of the three remaining games in the FIBA Africa Zone-3 elimination which enter its second round today.
The NBBF president while addressing the players in their Hotel Le Pelican says the nation is proud and solidly behind them but urge the players to give their best as the country continue its quest to make it to the continent biggest basketball showpiece in 2011 The FIBA Africa Championship for Men (CAN) to be hosted by Cote dIvoire.
Umar asked the players to put behind them the one-point lost to Togo on Wednesday and focus on winning their remaining game which began with the pairing against Benin Republic today (Saturday).

Nigeria currently lead the elimination series with five points from three games and look good to overcome Benin today at 5.00pm local time and 6.00 pm Nigeria time, the Coaches Sani Ahmed and Adeka Daudu tutored side will file out against host Togo at 7.00pm local time on Sunday and play its last game against Cote dIvoire on Monday at 5.00pm local time.

NBBF shortlists 18 for FIBA Africa Zone-III Qualifiers

The Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) has shortlist eighteen players to begin preparation ahead the 26th FIBA Africa Championship Zone-III qualifiers slated for Lome, Togo from August 6 through 18 this year.

According the Secretary General of the NBBF, Francis Gbiri that most of the players was drawn from the All-Stars Game the federation organized earlier this month.

The eighteen players to be tinkered by the duo of Coaches Sani Ahmed of Kano Pillars basketball club and Adeka Daudu of Dodan Warriors basketball club are to begin their preparation from the July 18 in Kaduna.

Kano Pillars has the largest number of invited players, the Nigeria league champion has four players which includes, Abubakar Usman, Ibrahim, Kelvin Nambam and Mattew Omonye; Kada Stars basketball club has three of its players invited for the Zone-III elimination they are Yusuf Yakubu, Adeolu Olaiya and Richio Dickson; Ebun Comets, Union Bank and Royal Hoopers basketball clubs each contributed two players.

The players are Yomi Joshua, Obumnaeme Onyia, Azuoma Dike, Onyeka Ekpete, Musa Usman and Victor Anthony; All-Stars Game MVP, Mohammed Bukar was invited from Dodan Warriors, Malik Tella from the Police Baton basketball club of Lagos, Manasseh Achii from Bauchi Nets while the duo of Louis Edem and Stanley Gumut who ply their trade in the Middle East league complete the list of invited players.

The players are expected in camp with their international passport, four passport photograph and training kits.

Nigeria will battle for one of the two slots in the zonal qualifiers alongside Togo, Benin Republic, Ghana, Liberia, Burkina Faso and Niger Republic

First Deepwater basketball club rose to the occasion and stop the dominance of First Bank

A new champion has emerged in the Nigeria domestic women league as First Deepwater basketball club rose to the occasion and stop the dominance of First Bank basketball club in the grand finale of the 6th edition of the Zenith Bank Women Premier League in Lagos Saturday night.

The First Deepwater ladies dominated the game from the first quarter resulting in a 24-09 points win for the Coaches Lateef Erinfolami and Shola Ogunade tutored Oil and Gas ladies who showed great determination to carry the day as they continue the onslaught in the second quarter though they dropped the quarter to the former champion by 20-14 points but they held on to the lead with a 38-29 points advantage going into the break.

The Coach Erinfolami side further widen the margin between them and the reigning Africa champion when they took the third quarter with the duo of Nkechi Akashili and Ijeoma Uchendu marshalling the First Deepwater offense and defense by 12-09 points and returned to win the fourth quarter by 16-11 points to end First Bank dominance of the Nigeria women league which span close to ten years with a 66-49 points victory.

Uchendu who was later adjudge the league best rebounder led the floor with a double double figure of 22 points, 12 rebounds, 9 assists and 2 steals while Akashili who emerged as the league Most Valuable Player (MVP) displacing First Bank guard Funmilayo Ojelabi also had a double double of 20 points, 10 rebounds and 3 assists with forward Kelechi Obasi contributing 13 points and 7 rebounds.

First Deepwater led the Coaches Adewumi Aderemi and Christopher Acha tutored First Bank in all department of the game watched by a capacity crowd as the Oil and Gas ladies grabbed a total of 47 rebounds (offense and defense) to First Bank 39, First Deepwater players gave a total of 18 assists as against First Bank 10 while they turned the ball over fifteen times against First Bank 20 turn-over.

First Deepwater Head Coach, Erinfolami attributed his side hard earned victory to dedication and total commitment on the part of the players and management of the modest side who storm the Nigeria scene in December 2008 and is only seasons in the Nigeria domestic league.

Coach Erinfolami who is winning a major title in the local scene since turning coach after a fruitful playing career says it is First Deepwater basketball club turn to dictate the pace in the Nigeria league and make appreciable impact in Africa and World club competitions.

We are not going to let our winning the Zenith Bank league title become a stumbling block to us rather we shall continue to build on this great achievement.

I want to dedicate the victory to the players for their dedication and commitment and the club management for always giving us words of encouragement even in the face of seen and unseen conspiracy against us especially by those whom we thought are our friends but we thank God for making it possible by crowning our effort by resounding success.

President of the Nigeria Basketball Federation, NBBF, Tijjani Umar praised all the ten teams that took part of the league right from the first phase in Kano earlier in the year.

He charged them to put in more effort so as to guarantee good competition.

Representative of the sponsor, Mrs. Bukky Latunji who stood in for the Deputy Managing Director of the foremost financial institution pledge Zenith Bank commitment to the enlistment of the girl-child through positive engagement like basketball.

The Zenith Bank Plc top shot gave a hint of the continued sponsorship of the Zenith Bank Women Premier League but says details will be worked out between the bank and the NBBF.

Also on hand to for the grand finale is the former president of the NBBF between 1990 and 2001, Senator Usman K. Umar (MNI) and Hon. (Engr.) Mohammed Ali Wudil who is a member of the House Committee on Sports.

Delta Force basketball club dependable player, Ogor Bulum won the highest scorers award with all three individual award-winner going home with a plaque from the NBBF and a laptop each from the sponsor Zenith bank Plc

Adeola OlanreWaju named the best Center in Ukraine

Adeola OlanreWaju (192-C-82, college: Xavier) named the best Center in Ukraine as her Dynamo took silver medals of the league. Dynamo-NPU finished the season with 28-4 record on the second place and lost the Final game of the Play-offs.
Dnipro clinched the first UPBL title in their history. They shot down Dynamo-NPU in the championship game. Olexandra Gorbunova scored 20 points to lead Dnipro to the historic success. She was named the MVP of the season after the game. Dnipro also avenged of the previous season loss in the title clash.
Dynamo-NPU looked better in the starting stanza. They cleared off to an 8-point distance at the first break. But Dnipro turned things around in the second period. Led by Olexandra Gorbunova and Kimberly Williams the hosts managed to cut the deficit to just two points at the interval. Dnipro continued to pressure Dynamo. They outscored the visitors 25:17 in the third quarter to accumulate a 6-point buffer heading into the fourth term. Dynamo-NPU won the fourth term but never seriously threatened the margin and had to surrender at the end.
Kimberly Williams scored 18 points and grabbed 6 rebounds for the winners. Alina Iagupova delivered 14 points for Dnipro. Davineia Payne responded with 20 points for Dynamo. Taisiia Bovykina netted 13 points and grabbed 9 rebounds in the loss, whie Adeola OlanreWaju collected 10 points and 8 rebounds.

Coach Randoald Dessarzin named 35 players for the preparation

The Ivorian Basketball Federation (FIBB) has unveiled a list of 35 players for the preparation camp ahead the World Championship to be held from 23rd August to 12th September 2010 in Turkey.

The final list of 12 players will be published by the head coach of Ivorian male team, Randoald Dessarzin after trimming the 35 players.

The list is widely composed by abroad based players but two local players included Konat Stphane of ABC and Toualy Guy Serges from SOA are in the list.

The preparation Camp will start on 30th June 2010 in France. Then, the squad coach by Randoald Dessarzin will land respectively in Switzerland, Macedonia, Span and back to Franca before leaving for Turkey.

Cte dIvoire is drawn in Group C alongside China, Russia, Puerto Rico, Greece and the hosting country, Turkey in Ankara. Cte dIvoire will play Turkey for its first game on Saturday 28th August 2010 at 18h00 GMT.

FIBA Africa

Lagos Convoke meeting for basketball

The Lagos State Basketball Association, LSBBA will Tuesday hold an important stakeholders meeting of all interest group for the benefit of the slamming and dunking game in the Centre of Excellence.

The One-Day meeting billed for the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere will also have the Honourable Commissioner for Youth Sports & Social Development in the state, Prince Ademola Adeniji-Adele in attendance.

According to the chairman of the state basketball association, Babs Ogunade, the main crux of the meeting is grassroot basketball development across the state and the Lagos City League.
The meeting holds at 10.00am.

League Board Postpone League by one Week

The newly constituted league board of the Nigeria Basketball Federation had its inaugural meeting in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja Sunday and agreed among others to shift the dunk-off date of the 2009/ 2010 NBBF/ DSTV Premier League by one week.

According to chairman of the league board, Muktar Khaleh, our first meeting was very fruitful and it was well attended as all the members turned up except the President of the Coachs Association, Sani Ahmed who was represented by Coach Adamu Kuta of Niger Potters basketball club of Minna.

The board unanimously agreed to shift the commencement date of the present season by one week, so the new date now will be May 8, 2010.

The request was at the instance of the club representatives on the league board and you all know that the club owners are integral part of the Nigeria basketball family.

We have mandated the person who helps the federation to carry out over sight function in the Lagos office to begin repair of works at the Lagos Sports Hall and we believe the league will start on that day as representative of the sponsor on the league board was also on ground.

We want to categorically say we are working on the same page with the sponsor, the clubs and every stake-holder and we believe that with the new spirit exhibited by everybody at the Sunday inaugural meeting Nigeria basketball will be the greatest beneficiary.

The other important agreement reached at the meeting was the cancellation of road trip for this season because of time limitation as we are mindful of our teams who will represent the country at both the FIBA Africa Zone-3 elimination and the FIBA Africa Champions Club competition.

We using this medium to thank the NBBF board especially our president, Tijjani Umar for setting up the league board and we promise not to disappoint in carrying out our duties.

NBBF inaugurate sub-committees

President of the Nigeria Basketball Federation, Tijjani Umar last weekend inaugurated all its standing committees at the boardroom of the Murtala Mohammed Square, Kaduna.

Inauguration of the various sub-committees became imperative according to the president of the federation.

Though some members of the various committees were not on ground during the inauguration exercise which was done before the jump-ball of the national Division-One Championship going in Kaduna due to the short notice, but the NBBF president is optimistic that members into each of the sub-committees have been carefully selected due to their records.

Umar, however, charged members to always make meaningful input to the development of the game in Nigeria.

Development of the game of basketball in our dear country is a collective one and I want to urge members of various committees to always give their best in their area of comparative advantage so that we can collectively leave a legacy behind for coming generations.

I am confident that members will give their best and see their selection to serve in the committees they have fond themselves as a call to duty.

I am confident that at the end of our tenure we will be able to beat our chest that we have contributed our best to the development of the game in our country.

Among the committees inaugurated by the NBBF president are the Advisory Council otherwise known as the Elders Council; Media and Publicity; Medical & Anti-Doping; Mini and Youth Basketball; Facility and Capacity Development.

Other committees includes, Women Development; Adjudication & Disciplinary; Technical and Marketing/ Sponsorship.

Also inaugurated to begin work immediately is the newly constituted league board.