Former international basketball player Ugo Udezue is set to host a three-day South East Basketball Tournament in Ebonyi State as part of his efforts to develop the game in the region. Udezue, who serves as the South-East Representative on the board of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), confirmed on Tuesday that the tournament will run from June 5 to June 7 on a newly built basketball court funded by him.
New Court to Boost Basketball in Ebonyi
Speaking about the tournament, Udezue, also the CEO of AFA Sports, highlighted the lack of viable basketball courts in Ebonyi State despite the region producing many talented players. “Half of the Coal City Blazers, the only Premier League team in the southeast, are from Ebonyi,” he said. He emphasized the need for stakeholders to invest in sports infrastructure rather than relying solely on the government. “We have donated uprights in Enugu for the indoor stadium and have now built a court in Abakaliki. We are grateful to other chairmen in other states that have helped reinvigorate existing structures, and we will continue to push development through infrastructure.”
Tournament Details and Participating Teams
The tournament will be held at the Ebonyi Shopping Mall in Abakaliki, with teams drawn from all five South-East states: Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo, Anambra, and Abia. A major highlight will be the commissioning of the Richard Idike Basketball Court, a facility facilitated by Udezue to aid basketball development and talent discovery. The Commissioner for Youth Development and Sports in Ebonyi State, Richard Idike, is expected to attend as the Special Guest of Honour and will officially inaugurate the court during the event.
Udezue noted that the initiative aligns with the vision of expanding basketball opportunities in the region and creating pathways for young athletes to develop their careers. The tournament is expected to attract basketball stakeholders, coaches, administrators, and fans from across the South-East, providing a platform for exciting competition and the continued growth of the game in Ebonyi State.
This development comes shortly after Senegal’s ASC Ville de Dakar defeated Nigeria’s Maktown Flyers 79-62 in Rabat, Morocco, eliminating the Nigerians from the Sahara Conference of the ongoing Basketball Africa League (BAL). Udezue's efforts aim to strengthen grassroots basketball and ensure Nigerian teams remain competitive on the continental stage.
