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ADM Basketball team of Enugu on Friday won the third edition of Sports, Music and Culture (SMAC) Basketball Tournament tagged “basketball redefined” in Enugu.
At the final match played at the Indoor Sports Hall of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu, ADM defeated Black Tigers Basketball team by 12-6.
The tournament, which was sponsored by a basketball enthusiast, Mr Arinze Nnaji, has 16 teams from Anambra, Ebonyi and Enugu as participating teams.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Hawks, another team from Enugu, narrowly beat Ebonyi team 12-11 at the third place competition.
The winner went home with N100,000, the second place team won N50,000 while the third pocketed N30,000 and the Most Valuable Player (MVP) James Osazele smiled home with N30,000.
Meanwhile, 3 points shutout winner, Chukwuebuka Nwene, went home with N30,000 and the Slam Dunk winner Victor Akachukwu was rewarded with N20,000.
After the match, ADM player Fabian Okpara, said the competition gave the players an opportunity to test the tactics they learned at the training.
“Basketball in Enugu State is dying and thank God for the sponsor who had made things happened for the past three years.
“It has been up to two years we participated in a competition sponsored by the government be it the state or federal,” he said.
“We won the tournament because we believe in each other and worked for each other and that was why we played a good basketball,” he added.
The sponsor of the competition, Nnaji, said that this year’s edition was up to the expectations.
He noted that the players needed more training to build up their energy and stamina which will make the game much better.
Nnaji urged other sports lovers to invest in their sports of choices to make a difference and by discovering hidden talents for harnessing.
“Private sector at not left out as they need to touch the lives of the youths of thier residual and not only making profit,” Nnaji said.
Nnaji called for grassroots sports development from the sport administrators in the state which will make them relevant to the youths.
Enugu State Basketball, Coach Chiedozie Nwoye discribed sports as a tool and unifying force that makes youths to be smart.
He said all the players that participated at the event are alll champions, irrespective of the outcome of the competition to thier team.
Nwoye thanked the sponsor for expanding the competition at the thrid edition, noting that the first and second did not reward the third place team and the Most Valuable player.
(NAN)
