Olabode James : Ondo State Basketball Team Gears Up For Gateway 2024 National Sports Festival

By On Nov 27, 2024

Ondo State Basketball Team have begun preparations ahead of the 22nd National Sports Festival, tagged Gateway 2024, which will hold in Ogun State, Sports247 reports.

Oluwasuyi Olabode James, the only registered FIBA Agent in Nigeria, and the acting chairman of Ondo State Basketball Association told First Zeal Media.

The Chairman stated that Team Ondo eyes a podium finish as preparations for national sporting masterpiece is currently in full swing.

He emphasized that the Ondo State Basketball Association is turning a new chapter in the story of the slamming and dunking game in the Sunshine State.

“100% sure, we are going for the National Sports Festival because we are trying to bring basketball back to life in Ondo states,” he stressed.

He explained that the State is full of promising talents that are not being showcased to the world due to lack of tournaments in the State and an enabling environment to grow.

“We have a lot of talented boys that really want to play but they can’t because they have not seen game to play and you know, they have not been moving around, no experience. Some of the boys that represented the state at the Southwest Basketball League Showdown have their potential, but failed to shine because they haven’t faced such level of play before,” he lamented.

The basketball player turn administrator, went further to state that there is hope for basketball in Ondo State as he alongside the five other Southwest state Associations will be organizing various basketball activities and tournaments to rekindle the love for the sport in the State.

“With the conclusion of the Nigeria Basketball Federation Men’s Premier League, we will be sending invitations to some teams to play with us, so as to have more experience, more game, more experience, because we don’t have team games,” he expressed.

He further explained that in a bid to identify with the government and other major sports stakeholders and corporate bodies, and to help water the seeds of basketball in the state, he will be holding a Southwest basketball camp in Ondo State.

“We are planning to have a camp, the camp is going to be among the Southwest states, we’re sending letters to the southwest states. Five boys, five girls. We’re going to accommodate them for three days. They will be trained and educated by top coaches in Nigeria and they will be given all the basketball equipments needed, it’s an all paid trip,” he stated.

He concluded that his goal for next is to host the 2025 edition of the Southwest Basketball League Showdown in Akure the state capital.

Ondo State came fourth at the South West Basketball League Showdown held at the basketball court of Liberty Stadium, Ibadan, Oyo State.

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