Ado Salisu
Eight teams have secured qualification for the Final Eight of the Nigerian Premier Basketball League, where the national champion will be crowned and earn the right to represent Nigeria at the FIBA Africa continental championship.
The league, organised by the Nigeria Basketball Federation under the leadership of Musa Kida, concluded its first and second phases across different states of the federation, producing the top four teams from both the Savannah and Atlantic Conferences.
At the Savannah Conference held in Minna, Aso Sky Hawks emerged champions, while City Chiefs finished second. Kano Pillars Basketball Club and 313 Warriors claimed third and fourth places respectively to qualify for the Final Eight.
In the Atlantic Conference hosted in Enugu, Mak Town Flyers finished first, followed by Royal Hoopers in second place. Hoops and Read and Lagos Raptors completed the list of qualifiers.
Reacting to Kano Pillars’ qualification, the team’s manager and former national basketball coach, Sani Ahmad, commended the NBBF for successfully organising the conferences, describing the competition as well-coordinated and hitch-free.
Ahmad expressed confidence that under the new leadership of the Kano State Sports Commission, headed by Muhammad Tukur Babangida, Kano Pillars would make a strong impact at the Final Eight tournament.
He also praised Abba Kabir Yusuf for his moral support for the team while appealing to the state government to address the club’s financial challenges to sustain Kano’s rich basketball tradition in Nigeria and across Africa.
Despite financial constraints throughout the season, Kano Pillars remained focused and delivered an impressive performance in Minna to secure a place among the league’s top eight teams.