KADUNA (DStv All-Stars Weekend) - A new development was added to the Nigeria Basketball League at the weekend with the staging of the All-Stars Weekend at the magnificent Murtala Square Sports Complex, Kaduna by the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF).
The All-Stars Game, pitting the best players from the Atlantic and Savannah conferences against each other, took place during the one-week break in the Nigeria DStv Premier League.
The Atlantic Conference won 93-82 and Mohammad Bukar of Dodan Warriors was named the game's MVP.
Bukar and Ebun Comets point guard Yomi Joshua helped the Atlantic Conference get of to a quick start as they took a 30-14 lead at the end of the first quarter.
The Savannah Conference charged back in the second and third quarters to get within 67-65 heading into the final frame.
But head coaches Ogoh Odaudu (Royal Hoopers of Port Harcourt) and Mark Balogun (Police Baton of Lagos) brought Shola Alayande into the game and he hit consecutive three-pointers to give the Atlantic Conference some breathing room before Bukar and Joshua closed out the game.
The game was made more special as the League Board of the Nigeria federation approved the use of the modern three-man officiating which on this day consisted of Pierre Ndobegang (Cameroon), Ado Ahmed (Kano) and Ibrahim Hassan (Kaduna), with Bala Usman serving as technical commissioner of the day.
Sunday's action opened with the traditional three-point contest between six players drawn from both conferences with Shola Alayande of the Lagos Islanders clinching the title in superb manner. Alayande had won the event 10 years ago when the All-Stars Game was last held in Lagos.
Next up was the slam dunk contest which also featured six contestants from the two conferences. Mattew Esiegbe took the title thanks to a unique dunk that saw him glide over two players 209cms tall players before jamming the ball in the basket.
NBBF president Tijjani Umar expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the weekend and promised that the federation will continue to uphold the importance of the All-Stars Games.
He appealed to all stake-holders to be up and going while pledging the NBBF's readiness to continue its open-door policy calling on anyone with wider idea on how to continue on the improvement of the game to feel free to approach the federation.
The league resumes this weekend in both conferences as the playoff race hots up.
In the Atlantic Conference, Ebun Comets will try to hold on to their unbeaten record against the Police Batons in Lagos on Friday; Union Bank and Dodan Warriors will battle it out on Saturday and Ebun Comets go up against against Nigeria Customs on Sunday.
In the Savannah Conference, Kada Stars host Yelwa Hawks on Friday while Bauchi Nets travels to Minna to face Niger Potters. AHIP Giants and Kano Pillars will do battle in a local derby on Saturday and on Sunday Plateau Peaks face off against Yelwa Hawks at the sports hall of the Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna.
Olusegun Ikuesan
FIBA Africa