Abuja 3×3 Slam to open more doors for Nigeria basketball
Following the successful hosting of the Abuja Slam Quest 3×3 Basketball Tournament, organizers, Webber Hoops have promised to spread its reach across Nigeria by promoting the sport at the grassroots.
The tournament in Abuja wrapped up with the New Year celebration when Hillside Elite emerged as men’s champions while TVCC claimed the women’s category.
Hillside Elite, which had earlier beaten Warriors 7-3 in the semi-finals, defeated NBT Academy 14-4 in the final match played at Jabi Shopping Mall on New Year’s Eve to win the cash prize of N250,000.
While TVCC, which eliminated Connect 7-5 in the semi-final bagged the cash prize of N250,000 after it narrowly edged Titans Academy 6-5 in the final.
Meanwhile, the inaugural Abuja tournament held over four days featured 80 teams; 60 male and 20 female basketball teams, drawn from across the FCT.
It was a continuation of the spectacular event that began at the 1004 Estate, Victoria Island, Lagos, in December.
The CEO of Webber Hoops, Opeyemi Babalola-Webber, was excited with the high turnout of teams in the tournament and has promised to take the game of basketball to every major city and street in Nigeria.
“We plan to do other big cities across Nigeria and definitely other locations and districts in Abuja as well. You will see us coming back. It is going to be a rotary thing and as soon as we get the required collaboration and sponsorships on board you will see us doing more of this every week.”
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Webber said, “I am impressed with the level of the skills of the players here and they have all come out with the full force to play and I believe that the best team emerged the winner in both the female and male categories.”
“Before we arrived here from Lagos we were not sure we could get half this number of players and teams but in the end, we had to carefully work out the details on how we could manage the large turnout. Our drive is to get more Nigerians involved but particularly get any form of basketball courts in the communities.
“When you see this large number in tournaments one is quite encouraged and excited because you already know that any court we can build would be put to good use,” he said
Basketball thrives as a game of fun and entertainment and the Abuja 3×3 Slam Quest was no different as it was loved by the players, fans, and administrators alike.
A basketball administrator, Tanko Yusuf, rated the tournament high in all regards.
Yusuf said ”the tournament has been very good although it could be better. The players themselves are quite happy getting involved in a competition. I say kudos to the organizers as many of them are featuring in a 3×3 tournament for the very first time and you tell that because they are not so conversant with the rules, speed, or exactly how to play.
“But this has been a very good exposure and we would like more tournaments like this. It will give these young ones more exposure and improvement for bigger opportunities because right now 3-on-3 is the main thing across the world.”
Webber Hoops and Courts, which is into the production of basketball equipment like basketball uprights, the floor, the bleachers, and the crowd barrier was organizing the tournament for the first time in the FCT.