14 teams will compete in this year edition of Rising Stars U13 Boys and Girls Basketball Championship billed to commence on Saturday, January 22 and end Friday, January 28 at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium Surulere Lagos, said the organisers.
According to the organisers, this edition will witness tigthen security to protect the players from being exposed to the hands of unscrupulous elements with policemen around their camp for total security of the young talents who come from six different states in Nigeria.
The championship in Lagos, the former Captain of the Nigeria senior basketball team, D’Tigers, Olumide Oyedeji, OLY, said was organised to unearthed talents.
“We aimed at keeping the young boys and girls off the streets and start this early in the year with grassroots competition to give a platform to young Nigerian basketball players to excel.
“There are many talent hunts programmes in our sleeves this year and that’s why we start early so that the calendar will be able to contain the activities through the year.
“The competition will climax with career talk and mentoring programs, teaching of life skills and importance of education.
“Once youth are engaged in sporting activities, it will inadvertently reduce the crime rate in the country which in extension creates peaceful coexistence among the citizenry.
“The players that would be discovered in the competition would be selected and scholarship will be awarded through the Foundation.” He said.
Each state is expected to send a 26-man delegation including 24 players and two coaches to the championship.
Passionate about grassroots development, Olumide Oyedeji Youth Foundation in 2021 organised four grassroots competitions in Nigeria and five other in five different African countries in Ethiopia and Liberia to mention but few.