Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) President, Tijjani Umar, acknowledged and thanked the initiator of the Hoops Dreams Basketball Academy when the programme was launched in Ibadan.
He thanked Damola Awosika for his pro-activeness and drive to build a structure that will sustain youth development and talent discovery in the South West, adding to the Youth Alive Basketball programme in Lagos which was extended to Ekiti last year.
“I acknowledge the opening of the Hoops Dreams Academy in Ibadan. I am excited about this and I hope to do everything within my power to support your vision as a federation,” Umar said.
The academy will cater for at least 200 kids, teaching the fundamentals of basketball and supplying equipment to kids between six and 18 years of age to produce the next big stars for Nigeria at the youth level who will graduate to the senior national team.
Awosika said the discovery of Nigerian youth sensation, Charles Bassey, now making waves in the United States, courtesy the Youth Alive Basketball programme in Lagos, motivated the Hoops Dreams Academy.
“We have kids everywhere who have talent to play basketball. We just have to create opportunities and a structured, sustainable programme to teach them the right basics and monitor their progress.
“Having being part of the Lagos Youth Alive programme and witnessing the results it is producing, I felt Oyo State is almost being left out of the rising tide of youth basketball development programmes in Nigeria.
“I was motivated to go back and contribute to Ibadan where I grew up and played basketball to the level of representing Oluyole Warriors in the Premier League.”
