Nigeria's Basketball League reigning champions, Kano Pillars, will file out against Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) in their opening group game at the FIBA Africa Club Champions Cup which begins in Kigali, Rwanda next Sunday.
Pillars are looking to become the first Nigerian club to win the competition, but they will need to qualify from group A which also has Angola side Petro Athletico as well as the duo of ASB Mazembe of Congo DR and APR of Rwanda.
10 teams are taking part in the competition with each group having five. Pillars must finish among the top four teams to qualify for the quarter final stage of the competition. And, considering their performance in the last edition in Tunisia last year, Pillars are expected to reach the last eight of the FIBA Club competition.
No Nigerian club side has ever reached the final of the tourney, with Dodan Warriors of Lagos' third-place finish in the 2006 edition hosted on home soil being the country's best performance in the history of the competition.
To qualify for the event, Kano Pillars defeated ASPAC, Model of Togo, Ellan of Benin and NPA Python by 78-72, 94-45, 72-46, 90-81 respectively.
APR gets chance for revenge
The highlight of the group is the encounter between Pillars and host APR. The Rwandans lost 71-62 point to Pillars at the 2008 edition held in Hammam Sousse, Tunisia and would be looking to avenge the defeat this time around. The Nigerian side claimed the victory after leading the first three quarters 8-21, 13-16, and 17-19 points, allowing APR the consolation of a last quarter 24-15 feat.
In Group B, 2008 champions Primeiro d" Agosto of Angola will begin their title defence against wildcard winning Warriors of Uganda. The group also has ASPAC of Benin who qualified beside Pillars from the Zone III qualifiers; Coop-Bank of Kenya and Congolese side, Inter-Club.
Speaking to NEXT Sports from Abuja, Pillars head coach stressed that his team his ready to go all the way to finals saying: "We are played to do better than last year's performance. Though we recognised our biggest challenge may be Primeiro because they are almost like their national team with about seven players in the national team, but they are beat-able and we can do it ant time we meet."
Also, head coach of First Bank Basketball Club, Aderemi Adewunmi, who just came from winning the women version of the competition is confident the Sanni Ahmed led Pillars will do the country proud in Kigali.
The tactician said "I am confident Kano Pillars have what it takes to win on the continent this time, it may not be easy given the challenge posed by Angola. But they [Pillars] had an impressive season; their performance at the qualifiers plus their experience last year will stand them in good stead." Interestingly, Pillars major challenge are 2006 winners Petro Athletico of Angola.
Primeiro d"Agosto, who have won the title for a record five times, are expected to dominate Group B.