NBBF, Col Sam Ahmedu Differ On Final Four Pay- Off

Tijani Umar, Martin Mabutho,Niyi Oyeleke, Segun Fayose.

Controversy has greeted the commencement date of the DSTV/NBBF final four play- off as the Nigeria Basketball Federation and stakeholders differ on when the tournament will dunk- off.

Vice President of Nigeria Basketball Federation, NBBF, Muktar Khaled, has told sports journalists that the final four play- off would start on Wednesday at the Indoor Sportshall of the National Stadium, Surulere.

But the statement was debunked by the President of Dodan Warriors Basketball Club, Colonel Sam Ahmedu, who explained that the federation had not shown any sign of seriousness towards the final four play- off .

The participating teams are Union Bank Basketball Club, Dodan Warrior Basketball Club from the  Atlantic Conference and Kano Pillars Basketball Club, Mark Mentor Basketball Club from Savannah Conference.

Khaled, explained the tournament would be played on round robin basis as the eventual winner and the first runner- up would represent Nigeria at the African Clubs Championship.

According to him, winner of the final four, play- off, will take home a million naira, first runner - up goes home with the sum of seven hundred and fifty thousand naira while the second runner - up grab five hundred thousand naira

Ahmedu, said the NBBF had changed the date for the final four play- off thrice, stressing that the original fixtures for the  final four play- off was initially scheduled for sixteen through nineteenth of August before it was changed twice in the month of September.While confident that the NBBF will change the date again,Ahmedu, said none of the teams that had qualified for tournament are not in Lagos State as Union Bank Basketball Club are just inviting its players to camp in readiness for the tournament.

Having lost to Royal Hoopers basketball of Port Harcourt  at the semi final of last year's edition of final fur pay- off, Ahmedu, said Dodan Warriors had a depleted team as two of its strong players, Mohammed Buka, who is United States of America for a camp and Abiodun Adetimehin, who is in South Africa for Basketball Without Borders, stressing that the team would not relent in its efforts to win the tournament.

As part of preparations towards the event, the club's President, said the team went on a training tour of Abidjan, Cote D'Ivoire to support Nigeria's D'Tigers and also to play friendly matches.