The finals of the basketball events in both the men and women category of the ongoing National Sports Festival would? be decided today at the Ado kie Amasiemaka sports complex.? To reach the finals and keep hopes alive of clinch the ultimate prize of gold, host team, Rivers defeated Kaduna 68 to 61 points while Lagos also eyeing the gold beat Enugu 65 to 61 points.
The two would this morning slug it out for the gold? in the men’s event. Also today, the third place match between Enugu and Kaduna will be decided at the same venue. Reacting to his team’s failure to reach the finals and aim at the ultimate prize, Kaduna coach, Sani Turi claimed his team was robbed. He said the encounter between his team and the host was marred by irregularities and bad officiating.
According to him, the organisers brought low quality and poorly graded referees who are not even fit to officiate secondary school basketball games to officiate at games like the festival.? In the women’s category, the host Rivers also made it to the finals after defeating Lagos 64 to 54 points. Delta on the other hand, was a better side over the women from Kaduna by 44 to 35 points to book a place in the finals and set the stage for an all Niger Delta women’s finals.??????
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Meanwhile, Rivers State has continued to maintain lead in the overall medals table with a total of 157 medals comprising 78 gold, 35 silver and 44 bronze as at 1pm yesterday. Delta is far behind with 42 gold, 46 silver and 45 bronze while Edo,Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom have 26,14 and 11 gold medals respectively to complete the first five positions that is strictly a Niger Delta games.
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