Alayande, Abubakar lead Atlantic, Savannah conference All-Star team

2002/ 2003 Nigeria Under 18/ Under 19 national team captain, Sola Alayande and Abubakar Usman are leading the Atlantic and Savannah conference All-Star challenge in the Nigeria Basketball Federation,NBBF,All-Star Weekend billed for the sports hall of Murtala Square Sports Complex, Kaduna on Sunday.

Alayande who was selected from Lagos Islanders basketball club was captain of the Nigerian junior national team that won the FIBA Africa Championship for U18 Men in Egypt in 2002 and went on to represent Africa at the 2003 edition of the FIBA U19 World Championship held in Thessalonica, Greece alongside Abubakar Usman drawn from Kano Pillars basketball club to represent the Savannah conference.

Other players who made the Atlantic conference All-Star team include, Mohammed Bukar and Edwin Jerry from Dodan Warriors basketball club, Yomi Joshua and Obum Onyia from Ebun Comets basketball club, Victor Anthony and Musa Usman from Royal Hoopers basketball club of Port Harcourt, Azuoma Dike and Onyeka Ekpete from Union Bank basketball club, Malik Tella drawn from the Police Baton basketball club, Yomi Oyeniyi from Delta Force and Jabiru Lawal from Nigeria Customs basketball club.



And other players selected to represent the Savannah conference at the All-Star Weekend are 2006 FIBA Africa U18 Championship star, Ibrahim Yusuf and Kelvin Nambam from kano Pillars basketball club; Manasseh Achi and Akpara Akita from Bauchi Nets basketball club; Prince Eze from Yelwa Hawks basketball club; Adeolu Olaiya and Isiaka Yusuf from Kadda Stars basketball club; Shehu Mohammed from Niger Potters basketball club of Minna; Rabiu Sani from AHIP Giants basketball club of Kano; Victor Zammeh from Plateau Peaks basketball club of Jos and Habib Hassan from Tapgun Rockets basketball club of Jos completes the roster.



Yalwa Hawks captain and former Niger Potters and Plateau Peaks basketball clubs off-guard, Jeffery Lohor lead the Three-Point contest challenge. Lohor will be competing against Sabo Gabriel of Niger Potters basketball club of Minna and Richiyo Dickson of Kadda Stars basketball club of Kaduna.



In the slam-dunk contest has Mattew Omoye of Kano Pillars basketball club, Mattew Esiebge of Kadda Stars basketball club and Ochebi Okpe from Plateau Peaks basketball club vying for honours.



The two All-Star teams will be coached by Ogoh Odaudu of Royal Hoopers basketball club of Port Harcourt and Mark Balogun of the Police Baton basketball club of Lagos for the Atlantic conference while Sani Ahmed of Kano Pillars basketball club and Sani Turi of Kadda Stars basketball club of Kaduna takes charge of the Savannah conference side.



All the players and official according to the chairman of the NBBF Technical Committee are expected in Kaduna by Friday evening while both teams will have a light work-out on Saturday for proper bonding of the players before the big show on Sunday.