TECHNICAL Adviser of Kano Pillars BC, Abdulrahman Muhammed, has attributed the defeat suffered in the hands of Royal Hoopers of Port Harcourt in the final of DStv/NBBF Premier Basketball League to fatigue occasioned by Ramadan fasting.Hoopers, which claimed the prize money of N1million defeated three-time champions, Pillars 65-52 last weekend in an exciting final decided at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Lagos."I am not disappointed that we lost in the final, the boys put up their best and I must commend them for playing so well. There was no disappointment all.We started with a lot of zeal and stamina but we fizzled out in the latter part of the game. Most of my players are fasting andyou know what it means. I think fasting took its toll on the boys and we could not have expected more than what they did. It was a good outing as far as I'm concerned. I'm proud of the players."Well, we did not miss the absence of Coach Sanni Ahmed, he was around last year but, the team did not get to this stage. I believe the boys made up their minds to prove a point and they were really mervellous. I'm impressed with the standard of this year's championship, it was highly competitive and the organisation too was encouraging."Basketball in Nigeria only need media attention to inspire crowds to the playing arena, we have a lot of good players on the domestic scene but the media must come in to showcase them to the outside world," Muhammed said.His counterpart, Ogoh Odaudu, while speaking with Tribunesports shortly after Hoopers retained the prestigious title, said his team was superior to the Pyramid lads."I don't want to believe that Ramadan was a factor. We defeated Pillars last year and it was not during the fasting period. We won this match because we they did not have quality players on the bench as we do."We will begin preparations in earnest for the Zone III Africa Basketball Championship scheduled to begin in Monrovia, Liberia on August 25 and we hope to qualify for the World Club Championship. We need prayers from Nigerians but we will work very hard to get one of the tickets come rain or shine," an elated Odaudu said.Meanwhile, Usman Abubakar of Kano Pillars emerged the highest goalscorer of the competition, while his teammate, Adele Demola, clinched the highest rebounder's award. Pillars which got N750,000 as prize money will also represent Nigeria in the Zone III Championship in Liberia.Dodan Warriors defeated Lagos Islanders 78-71 to win the bronze medal and prize money of N500,000.
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