Cameroon senior national team’s Head Coach, Joseph Touomou, has said that Africa stands the best chance of making it big in the world of basketball, but that because of the problem of poor administration, there is no feasible develop in the game over the years.
Touomou, who made this known during the closing ceremony of Nigeria’s Top 50 Camp at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, added that it is high time administrators on the continent woke up to their responsibility to move the game forward.
The Camp, which started in 2004, is modelled after the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders, BWB, which is held yearly in South Africa
The Basketball Camp, under the auspices of Giants of Africa, drew young basketball players from the nooks and crannies of Nigeria.
The Camp Director, Masai Ujiri, stated that the best among the over 80 campers have the privilege to attend high schools or universities in the United States of America, the former Nigeria international stated further that over 100 players who have attended the camp in the past are now students in Nigerian universities and some overseas colleges and universities, adding that 30 of the campers have played for Nigerian junior national team.
According to him, the Camp is fortified with foreign and indigenous coaches, who expose the participants to the modern techniques of the gamet, adding that four of the campers will featured in the Basketball Without Borders, BWB project next year in Senegal.
He also commended Nestle Milo Plc., for its support, not only to the Camp, but basketball development in Nigeria.
“I want to use this opportunity to express our gratitude to Nestle Milo for its support to youth basketball in Nigeria over the past 14 years of its involvement in basketball development in the country.
By Olusegun Ikuesan
FIBA