North East youths at the weekend could not hold their excitement as some of the best developmental coaches in the continent took them on the rudiments of basketball in Gombe, Gombe State.
The two-day talent hunt Clinic, which was co-sponsored by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and facilitated by the Adamu Yola Foundation/Jordan Nwora Foundation with all round development of youths in sports and academic plus social development as the main objective.
Meanwhile, National Basketball team Manager, Musa Adamu, who is also the host, has described the event as a dream come true, saying it is a form of giving back to the society and offering the youngsters good education and better life. He pleaded with the participants to exhibit high level of discipline and hard work irrespective of their family background.
Adamu hinted that the clinic has come to stay as an annual event with a view to sustaining and enhancing the coaching skills of the local officials.
In his remarks, Alex Nwora of Jordan Nwora Foundation noted that such clinics serve as good avenue for coaches and players to share knowledge. He noted, “The biggest thing at moment is about young boys and girls among whom the next generation of basketball stars would emerge.”
Declaring the event open, Gombe State Governor, Muhammed Yahaya Inuwa, who was represented by the Commissioner for Information and Culture, Julius Ishaya, thanked the organisers for considering the facilities and strategic location of Gombe State to host the clinic in the North East geopolitical zone and enjoined the participants to see the clinic as not only a challenge but an opportunity to excel.
The clinic attracted participants from Adamawa, Bauchi, Taraba, Yobe and host state Gombe, while the international coaching crew and officials from the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) and FIBA Zone 3, were on hand to take participants through the rudiments of the game of basketball.
