Basketball Will Soon Experience Revolution - Buhari Minister

The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare has said that the recent impressive performances  of the Nigeria's men senior basketball team, D'Tigers, is an indication  that there would soon be a revolution  in Nigerian  Basketball  development.

AllNews reports that Dare  made this assertion when the NBBF President, Eng. Musa  Kida paid the Minister  a courtesy visit on Tuesday after  returning  from the just-concluded Afro Basketball qualifiers in Kigali, Rwanda where D Tigers won all their matches.

According to the Minister: "My position is consistent that beyond football, Nigeria has talents and competences in several other sports and our ascendancy in baskeball is no longer stoppable.

"That ascendancy has been proven.

"We are Africa Champions in both male and female.

"We are headed to the Olympics, it has  never happened before and that shows that beyond football Basketball has come to stay.

"We are Africa Champions and we are a dominant force in the world.

"We are happy that  our team is in the hands of good administrators and managers.

"Beyond the good talents that we have put together, we also need capable hands to manage them.

"These are the people that have set their eyes on a greater glory on the podium performance and I am sure many other Nigerians will join  the basketball revolution.

"At least under me, we hope to have a Basketball revolution that transcends the National team.

"We hope to have  effective grassroots penetration of Basketball youngsters to start a project that would have a Basketball Court in at least one Senatorial district in the country.

"This is  a commitment that is being shared by the NBBF and the Federal Ministry of Sports."

On his part, Engr. Kida said Nigerian ascendancy was made possible  by good planning, commitment  of the players and engagement  of one of the best coaches in the NBA.

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D’Tigers defeated South Sudan, Rwanda and Mali to top Group B of the Afro Basketball qualifier series hosted in Kigali, Rwanda.