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After gruelling drills and displays of raw talent at Ilupeju basketball court, 40 outstanding players were selected from the 120 who attended tryouts for the 5th Ajayi Elebire Elite Basketball Camp on Monday.
Olalekan Ajayi, the camp’s owner and a former player, said the best players had been selected and that, hopefully, some would be among the 10 awarded scholarships at the end of the camp in Ekiti.
According to him, the camp, which was previously held in Lagos, moved to Ekiti last year to give back to his home state and raise awareness of basketball development in the area.
Ajayi stressed that the initiative was not merely about identifying talented players, but also about teaching discipline, dignity, responsibility and good citizenship.
“We are an elite organisation where we teach them about life and being good people. Who you are as a person is more important to us. Basketball will take care of itself on the court,” he said.
The organiser said the camp was entirely free, with participants provided with accommodation, meals, transportation, basketball equipment and footwear, including Nike or Jordan shoes.
Also speaking at the tryout, former national team coach Scott Nnaji said the most important thing was to continue building basketball from the grassroots, and that the Ajayi Elebire Elite Basketball Camp was a great way to do so.
According to him, working with the players over the next three days alongside other coaches would help them improve.
One of the scouts at the screening, Scott Adubato, said he had seen many talented players trying hard to impress, and praised the organisers for giving young players opportunities.
He added: “This is a good one coming from Lekan, giving the kids an opportunity with the basketball camp, and I am happy to be here and contribute my quota to the development of Basketball in Nigeria.”
