Sponsored by Senegal ambassador to Ethiopia his Excellency Amadu Kebi, the four clubs’ Addis Ababa basketball championship closed on Sunday, Ethio Investment Group taking the title.
The two days tournament that brought four Addis Ababa basket ball teams namely Ethio Investment Group, Ethiopia water works, Testis and Saint Josef Alumni was fully sponsored by the Senegal Ambassador Amadu Kebi. The participant teams for the special tournament likely to become an annual occasion, selected for their standing in the recently ended Addis Ababa championship.
The tournament showed that Ethiopia has a potential to the sport if the likes of Basketball admirers the likes of his Excellency Amadu comes to the picture in regular basis. Even for those who argue it is a sport for taller ones, there happened to be many blessed with the height as well as the talent for the game. In the opening matches on Saturday the reigning Addis Ababa basketball champions Water Works side defeated Testis while Ethio Investment won over Saint Josef Alumini the winners to go through to Sunday’s cup final with the losers for the play-off matches.
The cup final on Sunday at Arat Kilo sport center at the presence of youth and sport deputy minister Ato Abdisa Yadetta and his Excellency Amadu Kebi was the best cup final show downs in recent times. Even the third place play –off was full of magical moments. If basket ball is a sport for tall ones we saw that Ethiopia has also its share of tall ones with marveling talents.
Featuring close battling for second runner-up place Saint Josef Alumini won with a single basket the score line reading 87-86. The crowed applauded Testis for the play-off battle.
The cup final between Ethio Investment Group Vs Water Works called for a full time crowed ecstasy. Both sides with many of the national team players featured well organized in technique and tactic displays before Ethio Investment won 70-67 to take the coveted trophy together with the prize money courtesy of his Excellency ambassador Amadu Kebi.
The champion Ethio Investment took the 3000 ETB prize money while run runner – up Ethiopian water works collected ETB 2000. Third place Saint Josef Alumni received 1500 ETB with fourth place Testis receiving 1000 ETB. The presence of African nation ambassadors, officials from African economic commission, representative of the African Union and other invited guests gave color to the occasion.
Many the spectators and ardent Basketball fans praised the federation for its effort organizing such events and said it should the entire time look for a sponsor if the sport is to survive in the coming times. “Youngsters are coming to the sport but I fear they might be frustrated for lack of enthusiasms for the sport.”remarked a spectator among the crowed.