Ogun State came out on top as they defeated Oyo State 35-16 to lift the maiden edition of the Elite Wheelchair Basketball Championship, Afrosport reports.
The Gateway state started the competition with a 38-8 win over Kwara state before defeating Oyo State 22-12 and Lagos 29-4 to reach the final.
Lagos State claimed third place in the competition after defeating Kwara state 36-17, the highest scoreline in the four-team tournament.
The Elite Wheelchair Basketball Championship is organised by former Nigerian wheelchair basketball players Musibau Shittu and Temitope Ogunyemi, who have had stints playing in France, Turkey, Australia and the United Kingdom along with other active players in who ply their trade abroad.
Director General of the National Sports Commission, Bukola Olopade commended the players based abroad for bringing this initiative back home and affirmed the commission’s commitment to growing para-sports in the country
“This is a very good one from Musibau and his wife, both who are captains of the Nigerian team, now playing in France,” he said.
“So for them to come back home to put this together shows how much the Sport has continued to grow in the Country.
“I must state here that myself and the Chairman of the Commission, Mallam Shehu Dikko are totally committed to ensuring that you guys in wheelchair basketball, like every other para- sports, feel the impact of the renewed hope agenda of Mr President.
“This is why events of this nature, as small as it may appear, will always be appreciated and supported by the Commission.
”I am also very happy with the kind of giant strides we are witnessing with Wheelchair basketball and it has continued to grow over the years from where it was when I was the President.”
The Elite Wheelchair Basketball Championship marked the first time Ogun State has won a wheelchair basketball tournament and speaking with Afrosport, one of the team players, Segun Bailey, could not hide his excitement while asserting the team is ready to dominate wheelchair basketball in Nigeria.
“It’s great excitement and a good achievement for Ogun State to play in a Wheelchair Basketball final and win the trophy,” he said.
“It is indeed a thing of joy because when we look back to 15 years ago, Ogun State has been coming to different tournaments but they have never managed to win it.
“This is a wake call for other teams to try and do their best because this tournament came at short notice yet Mr Olopade said he was going to present a team and wants the best.
“As it is now, let me say for the next five years, Ogun State will dominate any wheelchair basketball event in Nigeria.”
Ogun State went home with a prize money of ₦500,000 as champions while Oyo State and Lagos pulled in ₦300,000 and ₦200,000 respectively for their runner-up and third place finishes.
