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The Bayelsa State Director of Sports, Mr. Andrew Aye, on Tuesday declared open a three-day youth basketball clinic for boys and girls at the Indoor Hall of the Samson Siasia Sports Complex.
The programme, themed “Let’s Focus on the Root, Not on the Grass,” is designed to introduce school children to the fundamentals of basketball and encourage early talent development.
Addressing the 65 participating students drawn from several secondary schools across the state, Mr. Aye emphasized the importance of sports as a pathway to global opportunities. He urged the youngsters to maximize the training, describing sports—especially basketball—as a lucrative and fast-growing sector. He further encouraged them to pair their athletic pursuits with quality education for a well-rounded future.
During his remarks, the Director of Sports celebrated Coach Tony Torunarigha Nelson, founder of the Patriot Basketball Academy and Head Coach of the Bayelsa State Basketball Team, for his nomination among the Top Five Naija BallHers 2025 Coaches of the Year. Mr. Aye hailed Coach Nelson as one of the outstanding coaches within the Bayelsa State Sports Council.
The clinic features 40 girls and 25 boys from schools including St. Jude’s Girls Secondary School Amarata, Government Secondary School Swali, Government Secondary School Ovom, Binary School, Imiringi Road, among others. Participants received introductory training on basketball techniques and discipline.
Coach Tony Torunarigha Nelson, who initiated the Bayelsa State Youth Basketball Clinic, expressed gratitude to school administrators for releasing students to participate. He said the initiative aims to identify and nurture young talents who may one day represent Bayelsa State and Nigeria at national and international competitions.
He also thanked the Director of Sports for attending the opening session, describing his presence as a major motivational boost for the young athletes. Coach Nelson extended appreciation to the Commissioner for Sports, Dr. Daniel Igali, for his continuous support for basketball development in the state.
The clinic is holding at the Indoor Hall of the Samson Siasia Stadium.
