Kano Pillars became the first team to win the Dstv Basketball League title late Tuesday after they defeated erstwhile Nigerian champions Lagos Islanders 83-72 in a game played at the National Stadium, Lagos. Even though they were winning the inaugural Dstv League, Pillars, by the feat, also won the Nigerian league in a back-to-back style having won the 2007/08 title just before Dstv became sponsors of the Premier League.
The Pillars who arrived in Lagos last week Wednesday by road returned to Kano Wednesday morning by flight on the authorisation of the Kano State Governor Alhaji Ibrahim Shekarau. He was expected to receive the fresh champions at the Government House alongside his cabinet.
The Pillars won the trophy, N1, 000,000 and a continental ticket. Runners-up Islanders also got continental ticket and N750, 000 for their effort. Dodan Warriors who defeated Royal Hoopers of Port Harcourt 70-64 in the third place match played just before the final game won N500, 000. The Fair Play trophy went to Niger Potters.
The Pillars, Islanders match was advertised as the clash of the Titans as both teams dominated their conferences through the regular season. Islanders, for instance, dropped only one match away from home while the regular season lasted. But soon after the jump ball was taken experts were taken aback when Pillars ran to a 19-5 lead. The tensed Islanders recovered to leave the first quarter result at 23-18. But the recovery was on and off until when both teams tied at 60-60. The hope of Islanders fans with vuvuzelas that it was going to be a good night turned nightmare as the guard of Pillars and Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the play off Usman Abubakar was as consistent as ever hitting more treys. The MVP hit 35 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to separate then from the Islanders who played right in front of their home fans.
“It was a tough season but we worked hard and the players, I must confess, responded very well,” Pillars coach Sani Ahmed said on the night his team received numerous telephone calls from home.
Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) President Mr. Tijjani Umar said he was hopeful that all sponsors of basketball in the country would continue to strongly back the game. He then apologised to the MVP: “We are sincerely sorry for not taking you to Libya (Africa Nations Cup).”
The General Manager of SuperSport Mr. Felix Awogu whose network telecasts the game across Africa assured basketball faithful that the sponsorship is not for short take but “for a long haul.” The Head of Corporate Communications of Multichoice Mr. Segun Fayose on the night said: "DStv is not just in the sponsorship of the game for fun but we hope to take Nigerian basketball to the next level. We have the talent in this country and this is our own way of helping to build up that talent to become champions.”
The next season with the full dose of Road Trips is expected to start off before the year runs out with the play off by May/June 2010.
By Pius Ayinor,
FIBA Africa