Team Plateau male basketball club has emerged as the champion of the second edition of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Democracy Day Under-18 Basketball Championship on Wednesday in Abuja.
A thrilling final match held at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium’s indoor basketball court, Plateau’s male basketball team defeated M2 Academy 50-36.
The highly anticipated matchup between the two undefeated teams lived up to expectations, with team Plateau dominating the game from the start.
They took an early lead in the first quarter 8-6 and continued to build on their momentum, leading 27-20 at halftime.
Although M2 Academy staged a strong comeback in the third quarter, Plateau team maintained their lead, winning the quarter 36-32.
The final quarter saw Plateau team pull away, securing the championship title with a 50-36 victory.
Annabale Alexander, Captain of the Plateau team basketball club told journalists that the team played as a cohesive unit, trusting each other from start to finish, which gave them the edge over their opponents.
“We are grateful to the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Musa Christopher, for organising this competition and hope to see more of it in the future.
“ Our next plan is to regroup, work harder, and showcase our talents to the fullest when the next opportunity arises.
“ To the teams that lost today, don’t lose hope, keep working, and you will become champions one day,” he said.
In the third-place match, the FCT U-18 boys’ team dominated their Kaduna counterparts, winning 70-53 and claiming the bronze medal.
The FCT team’s superior teamwork, accurate shooting, and solid defense earned them the third spot.
In the female event, Kaduna team U-18 basketball club beat Niger team to emerge champion with 42-20 wins.
The five-day tournament, themed “Encouraging Grassroots Basketball Talents,” aimed to identify and nurture young talents capable of contributing to national development.
A total of 16 teams (10 male and 6 female) participated in the championship, which started on June 14 and ended on June 18