Follow Us on Google
•FIBA Africa Zone Three supports event with 15 balls
By Joe Apu
Twelve teams from Nigeria’s southwest region are set to compete in the highly anticipated Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Basketball Championship at the Indoor Halls of the National Stadium and the Teslim Balogun Stadium promising exciting basketball action and N10M in cash prizes.
At a press conference held at the Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Center, Oshodi, the Local Organising Committee (LOC) revealed that the Southwest team competing are Hoops & Read Basketball Club of Lagos, Fountains Basketball Club of Ekiti, Warriors Basketball of Lagos, Sports Nation 365 Club of Lagos, Ogun Rockets, Ondo Raiders, Oluyole Warriors, Ibadan, University of Ibadan, Delta Force, Asaba and Police Baton of Lagos.
Chairman of the LOC, Brigadier General Aliyu stated that the 4th edition of the CDS Basketball Championship is to nurture a professional Armed Forces that is people-Centric, capable of meeting it’s constitutional responsibilities in a joint and collaborative environment noting that the teams were carefully selected to bring together top flight teams in the Nigeria Premier Basketball League, state owned team’s to create competition that will run from 30th September – 5th October, 2025.
Set against the backdrop of the CDS’s people-focused leadership agenda, the championship aims to promote unity, skill development, and civil-military cooperation across the southwest region. Approximately 250 players and officials are expected to participate, with team rosters to be announced daily ahead of the event.
Organizers of the event which includes Olumide Oyedeji, John Faniran Barbara Echezonachukwu among others are working hard to make the event grand as they also unveiled a giant trophy to be won for keeps alongside medals and jerseys for all the participating teams.
Oyedeji used the medium to express appreciation to FIBA Africa Zone Three headed by Col. Sam Ahmedu (Rtd) for supporting the event with 15 balls.
Learning from logistical challenges faced in previous events in Abuja—such as travel and logistics issues—organizers have made improvements to ensure a smooth and professional tournament experience.
The championship features an attractive prize pool of N10m with the winner taking home N2m, the first runner up N1.5m, second runner-up N1m while the fourth placed team will get N700,000.
Prizes will be also awarded to the winning the Most Valuable Player (MVP), winners of slam dunk and three-point contests, among others.
To ease participation, invited teams will receive subsidies of N800,000 for travel and logistics, facilitating smooth transit from their respective locations.
At the launch, speakers expressed gratitude to the Nigerian president for continued support and recognized contributions from senior officials. The chairman of the Local Organising Committee highlighted that the championship focuses on “elite basketball,” dividing teams into elite squads, competitive teams, and developmental programs aimed at nurturing emerging talents.
The CDS Basketball Championship is set to be a thrilling sporting event that not only celebrates basketball excellence but also fosters regional camaraderie and national pride ahead of Nigeria’s Independence Day celebrations.
