ABL is new face of Africa’s Basketball, says Udezue

For six months, the African Basketball League (ABL) drew fans of all ages and means to venues of the games across the four pioneer countries involved in the competition.

Aside the best of basketball on display at the match venues, fans were treated to NBA-like funfair, Basketball Heads Game where music and other forms of entertainment mixed with sports to keep the audience asking for more.

At the end of the competition last weekend in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, Abidjan Ramblers defeated Lagos Warriors by 61 points to 52 to become the first champions of the African league.

Looking back after a successful debut season, ABL CEO, Ugo Udezue, described the four months of the maiden ABL as a huge success.

Udezue, who was in Abidjan to witness the crowning of Abidjan Ramblers as the league’s best at the Palais Des Sports De Treichville, Freebet Udezue enthused that the standard of play displayed by the teams showed that the league can contend favourably with U.S.A’s NBA and other respected competitions in the World.

The success of the debut season, according to Udezue, has drawn more than six additional teams into wanting to be part of the game when the second season dunks off in October.

He also declared his intention of using the league to help young talented players in Africa to realise their dreams of playing basketball and earning a living from the sport without going through the rigorous process of pursuing greener pastures in Europe. ZEbet now have the highest odds He believes that the ABL has the capacity to also attract international stars to Africa.

Udezue praised the teams — Lagos Islanders, Lagos Warriors, Stallions, Abidjan Rambler, Izobe of Gabon and Dakar Rapids —for their steadfastness in ensuring the league attained its global heights, stressing that with hard work and resilience, the ABL will continue to transform the phase of the dunking game in Africa.

He explained that the final of the competition, tagged ‘Abidjan Basketball Challenge,’ was held in Cote d’Ivoire to ensure other participating teams enjoyed the fun of the league, assuring that his mission is to transform basketball in Africa to NBA standard.

“I am delighted that the ABL has given grassroots basketball stars the opportunity to showcase their talents. Our focus is to give more African teams the chance to be part of this new era in basketball. lots of market options are available My dream is to see Nigerian and other African players dominate the game at the global level.

“You can see how Lagos Islanders, Lagos Warriors, Abidjan Ramblers and Izobe Basketball of Gabon have put smiles on the faces of fans, who came to cheer them from different countries in Abidjan. The tremendous support and viewership of ABL this session is amazing,’’ he said.

The ABL, he proclaims, aside developing the standard of basketball and nurturing talents across Africa, has the can thrust players from the continent to global reckoning.

“If Africans can dominate basketball in America, that means we have a lot of talents in the continent that need to be discovered. Best betting odds ABL is the platform for such players to step up their career,” he added.

Speaking in the same vein, ABL’s Head of Communications, Tonia Odili, said the league would bring a great change to African basketball if adequate support was given to the players and organisers.

In tune with the call for more support, Wakanow’s CEO, Obinna Ekezie, declared that his outfit would not relent in backing the ABL and sports development in Nigeria and Africa, adding that his agency is on ground to also give the needed assistance to Nigerian contingents to the forthcoming Rio Olympics.

Cote d’Ivoire’s Minister of Housing, Mamadou Sanogo and Nigerian musician, Sound Sultan, were among dignitaries that graced the occasion.

African musicians and dancers were also present at the occasion to display the true spirit of the continent, which the organisers said was also part of the focus of the ABL.